3 Former Knicks thriving elsewhere to start 2023-24

The New York Knicks have seen several players come and go in recent seasons, but in the 2023 offseason, the team had little roster turnover. New York traded Obi Toppin and signed Donte DiVincenzo in free agency, keeping essentially the same roster as the one that won a playoff series for the first time in a decade.

Plenty of players around the league spent time with the Knicks, whether it be for half a season or a few seasons. Some have fared better than others, particularly these three players who have started the 2023-24 season on the right foot.

3. Obi Toppin

Obi Toppin desperately needed a change of scenery, and the Knicks gave him one when they traded him to the Pacers for two second-round picks. The former lottery pick was extension-eligible over the offseason, and there was no way New York was going to pay him after not playing him regularly.

As expected, Toppin's had to adjust to being in a completely different situation in Indiana. As a result, his minutes have fluctuated. In a season-high 37 minutes on Nov. 14 against Philadelphia, Toppin finished with 27 minutes on an efficient 12-of-15 shooting from the floor.

In a game two days before that, he scored 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting in 21 minutes. In true Obi fashion, his athleticism stood out, especially when he pulled off a reverse dunk on Joel Embiid.

His defense remains his biggest weakness, which is one of the reasons Tom Thibodeau didn't turn to the forward as much as he should've when he was in New York.

Although some Knicks fans are still frustrated that the front office let him go for a couple of second-round picks, the fan base should be rooting for Toppin to succeed (except when the Knicks play the Pacers). He never got the opportunity to do so in New York.