Reported NSFW verbal altercation between Knicks’ Tom Thibodeau, Obi Toppin leaked
The offseason quickly shifted from the Knicks not having a selection in the 2023 NBA Draft to the heightened possibility of New York trading Obi Toppin to land a pick. The next 24 or so hours will be a pivotal time for the Knicks.
The idea of Toppin being traded shouldn’t come as a shock to fans, especially since it was assumed back in February that he was going to be dealt to a new team ahead of the deadline. According to Newsday’s Steve Popper (subscription required), Toppin was hoping that he was going to be traded a few months ago, and he and the Knicks have agreed to find him a “change of scenery.”
Reports about Toppin being frustrated with his limited role under Tom Thibodeau have taken a sharp turn. The Athletic’s Fred Katz (subscription required) reported on Wednesday morning that after New York’s Game 4 loss to Miami in the second round of the playoffs, “an intense verbal altercation” took place between Toppin and Thibodeau.
"On this occasion, as Toppin yelled at Thibodeau in front of teammates so fresh off a loss that they were still in uniform, assistant coach Rick Brunson stepped in to stand up for his boss. Toppin and Brunson got into it for a moment. Randle, Evan Fournier and Josh Hart next pulled Toppin aside to cool him off."
Katz added that the two met the next day to “patch up things” and that in the Knicks’ Game 5 win, “life was back to normal” and there was “no lingering resentment.”
Here we are a month later, and part of the audio from the altercation between Toppin and Thibodeau has been leaked. You can find it here.
What should Knicks fans make of verbal altercation between Obi Toppin and Tom Thibodeau?
Obi Toppin being dissatisfied with his role is expected. Knicks fans have been frustrated with his role themselves. The 14.7 minutes that he’s averaged since being drafted in 2020 wasn’t what New York was hoping for when it used a lottery pick to select him.
As Fred Katz noted, “Sometimes, competitive people get competitive.” Whenever there’s an argument between two players on a sideline, or between a player and coach, it’s typically attributed to competitiveness. The Knicks were in the middle of their first Eastern Conference Semifinals appearance since 2013 and Toppin wanted to help his team win. That’s normal.
However, the leaked audio is still telling about where Toppin and New York stand. He’s already 25, so him sitting on the bench stashed behind Julius Randle for another season isn’t exactly an ideal situation for either side. A trade didn’t materialize ahead of the deadline in February, but one will likely happen this offseason, whether it be before or after the draft.
Regardless of where you stand as a Knicks fan in terms of Obi Toppin’s future, New York getting something of value in return for him this offseason would be far better than letting him leave next summer as a restricted free agent.
