New York Knicks' final two-way spot officially goes to second-year forward

Entering Wednesday, the New York Knicks had an open roster spot and an open two-way spot. Once the afternoon hit, the two-way spot was filled.

New York signed rookies Ariel Hukporti and Kevin McCullar Jr. to two-way deals earlier this summer. In June, the Knicks extended a qualifying offer to Jacob Toppin, which meant the 24-year-old would likely return on a two-way deal. New York officially signed Toppin.

Toppin went undrafted in 2023, and the Knicks signed him shortly after. Fans knew him as Obi's brother, but he made a name for himself at 2024 All-Star Weekend. The younger Toppin was in the Slam Dunk Contest and should've competed for the crown over Jaylen Brown, who only advanced because of his name.

Knicks sign forward Jacob Toppin to two-way contract

Toppin did well in Westchester last season. He averaged 19.8 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.1 blocks per game, shooting 48.2% from the field. He appeared in nine Knicks games.

While it took longer than expected for Toppin to sign another two-way deal after the Knicks extended the qualifying offer, it's a good sign for the forward. He'll likely spend most of the season in Westchester again, but if he works hard and stands out, he could see a little more playing time than last season under Tom Thibodeau.

The head coach is a fan of Toppin. At the start of last season, here's what Thibodeau said about the forward:

“I like him a lot,” Tom Thibodeau said. “I like the way he works. He’s done a good job. I think just for him, the challenge will be developing consistency with his shot. But he’s a very good all-around player.”

Toppin grew and improved as a rookie and will hopefully continue to do the same during his second season in New York.