With how good the New York Knicks have looked all season, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Leon Rose and the front office look to make some more “win now” moves in the off-season. This could potentially include shipping off third-year power forward Obi Toppin for a more consistent veteran.
Toppin has had some moments of excellence during his tenure in New York, however, this season has been a low point for the 25-year-old, and the combo of poor play and being utilized incorrectly has created a recipe for disaster that could result in his trade.
If this becomes the case, we’re sure that teams will be incredibly interested in bringing Toppin in, as his incredible potential as a finisher has really yet to be realized thanks to some interesting coaching decisions by Tom Thibodeau.
Here are three teams who could be in on a potential Obi Toppin trade sweepstakes:
3. Charlotte Hornets
The thought of a LaMelo Ball and Obi Toppin pick and roll is something dreams are made of, and the Hornets should definitely jump on this potential trade if the opportunity is made available. Who knows whether or not Toppin would start in Charlotte, however, he would fit perfectly in their system.
Charlotte ranks seventh amongst all teams in pace this season, so adding a player like Toppin to their roster will only make this stat better. Regardless of whether or not it’s Ball or Terry Rozier, we know Toppin will make a deadly high-flying pick and roll regardless of who the ball handler is.
Alongside this Toppin’s ability as a stretch four could serve tons of purpose under the right circumstances. By this, we mean not being solely used as a catch-and-shoot power forward and taking his three-point attempts from 3.3 to 1.5-ish.
Obviously, Toppin isn’t some sort of spectacular shooter, but in the pick-and-pop play, he could finally become a genuine stretch four.
Toppin would immediately be the Hornets’ backup power forward if traded there and could potentially start over P.J. Washington depending on the situation. This sort of match could make for some of the most exciting basketball in the league.