Obi Toppin

WATCH: Knicks’ Obi Toppin bleeds optimism, ‘we’re going to make it far in the playoffs’

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New York Knicks, Obi Toppin

When the New York Knicks drafted Obi Toppin 8th overall in the 2020 NBA draft, the front office not only saw a player with upside but a leader and positive energy human. Changing the course of the organization started in the locker room, ridding themselves of negativity and a losing mentality. Drafting Toppin seemed to be a backup plan in case Julius Randle struggled last year, but his emergence as one of the best players in the league forced Toppin into a background role — an expected reality for a rookie.

However, Toppin has an unstoppable work ethic, and he will find a way to make drastic improvements in his game. This past year, he averaged a measly 4.1 points, 2.2 rebounds, and shot 50% from the field over 3.4 times per game. From range, he connected on 30% of his shots, taking just 1.4 per contest. His 11 minutes on average will likely expand next year as the team expects him to be a more prominent piece on offense. His inconsistencies on the defensive side of the ball and ability to post up in isolation made him borderline futile at times, but his high energy proved to be valiant during the postseason when Randle was struggling against the Hawks.

Toppin gushed optimism over the weekend, indicating that his teammates will be working hard this offseason and he would be doing the same:

“The work that, not only myself, but the other guys is putting in… We’re going to make it far in the playoffs next year.”

The Knicks are gearing up for a big month:

The Knicks have a ton of big decisions to make this off-season in free agency and the draft, which will ultimately point them in a specific direction. They have the ability to package their selections together and target a high-profile prospect in the lottery picks or sit still and spend all three first-rounders.

With $50+ million available and five players hitting free agency, August is shaping up to be an exciting month for the team, full of action and intensity. Toppin will undoubtedly hear his name mentioned in trade rumors and scenarios, but all he can do is work to improve his game and prepare for the 2021-22 season.

Report: Collin Sexton will cost Knicks Obi Toppin, Kevin Knox and 2021 1st rd pick

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collin sexton, knicks

Another offseason day, another point guard has been linked to the New York Knicks.

According to The Athletic report on Tuesday, the Knicks have emerged as the most aggressive trade suitor for Cleveland Cavaliers scoring guard Collin Sexton.

SB Nation’s Fear of the Sword Editor Evan Dammarell poured more fuel to the fire when he floated that a package of Obi Toppin, Kevin Knox, and one of the Knicks’ 2021 first rounders appears to be an option.

If the reports are true, Brock Aller’s imprint should be all over it.

After all, Aller, the Knicks VP for Basketball and Strategic Planning, started his career in Cleveland. He served as Dan Gilbert’s personal assistant before transitioning to a front office role, where he raised his profile as one of the finest capologists around the league.

Aller was part of the Cavaliers’ front office that drafted Sexton in 2018 using the eighth pick, the key piece in the Kyrie Irving trade with the Boston Celtics.

On top of landing Sexton, the Knicks would also open up an additional $4.6 million in cap space.

Sexton has blossomed into one of the better scoring guards in the league, increasing his scoring, assists, and efficiency throughout his first three years with the Cavaliers. But there was a red flag raised by another The Athletic report on May that painted him a “ball hog.”

“Various Cavs players still grow frustrated by the way Sexton dominates the ball, and opponents taunt them by saying during games, ‘You know he’s not going to pass you the ball,” Cavaliers’ insider Joe Vardon wrote.

It may also be one of the reasons why the Cavaliers are reluctant to keep him with his rookie extension on the horizon. But Aller’s valuable direct intel on Sexton could be the key in the Knicks pushing for a deal.

But to Collins’ defense, he played with a bad Cavaliers’ roster devoid of an elite offensive threat.

If the reported package is true, it’s going to be a low-risk, high-reward move for the Knicks akin to the Derrick Rose mid-season trade.

The bet is for Sexton’s ball-dominant style of play to impact winning and create space for Julius Randle. Sexton’s 28.6 usage rate this season ranked 17th among guards in the league, per NBA.com. Meanwhile, Randle’s 28.5 usage rate this season ranked 15th among forwards, per NBA.com.

There’s no question Sexton’s shotmaking and toughness, despite being undersized, will be a huge upgrade over Elfrid Payton. But the question is can he thrive more as a facilitator next to Randle?

Sexton will be aiming to raise his stock to get the rookie max extension he wants, which is roughly $168 million over five years.

At the very least, he can shot up his value next season while running the Knicks offense, hopefully back to the playoffs. Sexton’s value would still be relatively higher than Knox, Toppin, and the 19th or 21st pick combined. Then the Knicks will have to decide whether to keep him long-term or flip him in a sign-and-trade deal. Sexton’s value would still be relatively higher than Knox, Toppin, and the 19th or 21st pick combined in any deal next summer. At best, he becomes the Knicks’ best point guard in a long while.

Follow this writer on Twitter: @alderalmo

Knicks’ Obi Toppin projects confidence as he targets big sophomore season jump

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New York Knicks, Obi Toppin

As Team USA prepares for the Tokyo Olympics this summer, New York Knicks’ rookies Obi Toppin and Immanuel Quickley were asked to join the USA Select Team. Both will work alongside some of the world’s best basketball players, soaking up their knowledge like a sponge while also looking to iron out some of their own kinks.

Toppin, who was selected 8th overall in the 2020 NBA draft, had a quiet rookie season with New York. He averaged 4.1 points, 2.2 rebounds and shot nearly 50% from the field over just 11 minutes per game. His counterpart, Quickley, had a far more impressive and productive first season in the NBA, but that doesn’t mean the young power forward won’t take a massive developmental leap next season.

The coaching staff gave Toppin words of wisdom before joining the USA Select Team in Vegas, stating:

“The message, [the coaches] told me coming here is just be a sponge,’’ Toppin said, per Marc Berman of the New York Post. “There’s great coaches and players out here and just get better and develop my game. I’m working really hard in this offseason to be better for my second season coming up. It’s going be a lot different than the first season.’’

The opportunity the 23-year-old Brooklyn native has is meaningful, spending time alongside players like Kevin Durant and Damian Lillard. Quickley also mirrored his excitement regarding learning from some of the best in the NBA this summer.

“It’s amazing,’’ Toppin expressed. “I‘m not going to say I had the best rookie year. But for me to have the opportunity to come out here and be part of USA and help prepare the Olympic guys for their time in Tokyo, to have that opportunity is amazing and I wouldn’t change it for the world.’’

The Knicks saw a better version of Toppin during the post-season:

Toppin gained a touch of confidence during the postseason, scoring a high of 13 against Atlanta in Game 4, an eventual loss. During the contest, he also recorded three rebounds and shot 62% from the field and 33% from downtown. As his confidence built, his production also increased, which is a positive sign for a player trying to adjust to the NBA.

“I feel the playoffs was definitely a confidence-booster,’’ Toppin said. “I felt myself getting better. But it was the work I was doing every single day before that. My teammates had confidence in me and confidence I could do what I had to do.’’

Aside from the Select Team, Toppin is also engaging in the Summer League, working with Quickley and Luca Vildoza, the Knicks’ foreign signing prior to the end of the 2020 season. If all three can elevate their game ahead of the upcoming year, the Knicks could have a few secret weapons up their sleeve, ready to make an impact. Toppin, who represented one of the best transition scores in college during his time at Dayton, is looking to become a force as an athletic frontcourt option with adequate shooting prowess.

Knicks: What does the future hold for Obi Toppin?

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New York Knicks, Obi Toppin

When the New York Knicks drafted Obi Toppin with the 8th overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft, they saw a potential starting power forward who could replace Julius Randle if need be. However, their cautious approach backfired, as Randle had one of the best seasons in Knicks’ history and won the Most Improved Player award.

However, despite Randle’s dominance, Toppin struggled to find his footing at the NBA level, connecting on .306 of his three-point attempts and recorded a .731 free-throw percentage. There’s no question that Toppin has plenty to work on moving forward, but he has the work ethic to get it done. Having been overshadowed by Immanuel Quickley during the 2020-21 season, the Knicks’ 25th overall pick, there’s no doubt the Dayton product could bounce back with major development this summer.

Toppin finished the season averaging 4.1 points, 2.2 rebounds, and shot .498% from the field over 11 minutes of action. Ultimately, with Randle playing so well, the Knicks could not give the rookie PF as much playing time as they desired.

At 22 years old, they will look to get him more involved in the future, even if it means playing both Toppin and Randle at the same time. Worst case scenario, Obi ends up complementing Julius off the bench and offering an adequate player to fill the power forward spot in case of injury or fatigue.

One major positive for Toppin was his postseason performance, where he elevated the team at times, averaging 6.4 points per game, more than his regular-season average.

There is the possibility that Toppin could find himself in an awkward position as the Knicks look to acquire a star player this off-season via trade. Toppin could very well be a part of the equation, considering they have Randle and are expected to offer him a max contract. Nonetheless, I believe they are committed to the Brooklyn native for the time being.

There is an interesting combination of players that could maximize the Knicks’ roster, but they desperately need a star point guard to help unlock the potential of their current players. A front-court combo of Randle, Mitchell Robinson, and Toppin would establish an exciting trio, but they need a PG with elite court vision to feed them the ball in good positions.

The most exciting part about Toppin was witnessing his shot efficiency and comfort on the floor increase as the season went on. Despite having minimal minutes to operate with, he experienced tremendous growth, and Toppin is not the type to sit quietly and ignore his craft. He will participate in this Summer League to improve his skills and work alongside Quickley and Luca Vildoza, who the Knicks signed to a four-year contract this off-season.

There is a reason to be confident in Obi and his growth, and this off-season could end up being a tremendous opportunity for him to work his way into the starting team, but it is entirely dependent on his shooting prowess and efficiency as a defender — we all know how much Thibs loves him some defense.

Do you think Obi Toppin will be starting by next season? Comment below! 

Knicks expected to showcase young core in NBA Summer League return

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Imagine Obi Toppin slamming an alley-oop pass from the New York Knicks’ new point guard prospect.

That could be a recurring highlight in August when the NBA Summer League makes its much-anticipated return.

Argentinian point guard Luca Vildoza and the duo of Immanuel Quickley and Toppin are expected to banner the Knicks in the NBA’s summer showcase that will feature the league’s draft picks and young prospects.

The 16th annual MGM Resorts NBA Summer League will take place Aug. 8-17 at the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, the league announced on Wednesday.

All 30 teams will play five games apiece during the 10-day, 75-game event. After every team plays four games, the two teams with the best records from the first four games will meet in the finals on Aug. 17.

It will be Quickley and Toppin’s first NBA Summer League after the event was scrapped last year due to the pandemic. On the other hand, Vildoza will be fresh from his stint with the Argentina national team in the Summer Olympics in Tokyo which will run from July 23 to Aug. 8.

The Summer League will give Tom Thibodeau’s staff time to further evaluate the 25-year old Vildoza before they fully guarantee his 2021-22 salary by the start of next season.

“There’s a whole process that [Luca’s] going to have to go through so it’s going to be more of a summer thing. He’s got to go through a number of things to get cleared. That’s going to take time. We’ll take it step by step,” Thibodeau earlier said.

Unless they are moved in a package for a superstar, Quickley and Toppin are expected to play heavy minutes for the Knicks in the Summer League to fast-track their development.

The team’s draft picks will also be included in their Summer League roster. But the Knicks are not expected to have four rookies. New York Post’s Marc Berman earlier reported that the team is looking to bundle some, if not all, of their picks (Nos. 19 and 21, Nos. 32 and 58) to move up in the top-heavy Draft.

“Normally the Summer League is a dry run for training camp,” Thibodeau said back in December. “So it gives the guys an idea of what training camp looks like.”

Tickets for the NBA Summer League will go on sale on June 23 and the complete game and broadcast schedules will be announced at a later date.

Follow this writer on Twitter: @alderalmo

Knicks News: Randle says team is ‘peaking’, Obi Toppin shows off improvements

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New York Knicks, Tom Thibodeau

Despite the Toronto Raptors having their three big players available against the Knicks on Saturday afternoon, they were still blown out by 17 points in regulation. The Knicks scored 120 points, allowing just 103 to Toronto, stifling yet another team enjoying a winning streak. Toronto entered the contest winning four games in a row but didn’t even stand a chance against a surging NY team that has nine consecutive wins.

The Knicks are now 34-27 on the season and are .5 games up on Atlanta and 1.5 games over Boston. However, all-star Julius Randle believes that the team might be peeking when they really need to be doing so during the postseason.

Are the Knicks peaking? Julius Randle thinks so:

“We’re peaking, but we can still get a lot better,” Randle said. “Obviously offensively we’re playing well, but defensively for a full 48 minutes, I feel like we can be a lot better.”

Rand;e finished the contest with 31 points and 10 rebounds, recording yet another double-double. He played 39 minutes and connected on 10-of-17 shots from the field. As for his partner in crime, RJ Barrett scored 25, with 12 rebounds, and hit on 8-of-16 from the field, 50%. The Knicks continue to dominate in the three-point category, connecting on 51.6% of the shots from downtown against Toronto.

Obi Toppin is making more of an impact on the court and not the bench:

One player who has contributed more as of late is eighth overall pick Obi Toppin, who added nine points and connected on 3-of-4 shots from beyond the arc in the win. He also recorded two rebounds, playing in nine minutes.

“Obi has been practicing great, I thought he played great tonight,’’ Thibodeau said. “Our bench gave us a huge lift and he was at the heart of it. He puts a lot of time into his shooting. He’s coming back at night. He’s grooving his shot so I think he’s gaining confidence. He’s practicing well too when we do practice. His concentration has improved. So he’s an important part of the second unit.’’

Toppin experiencing success and progress is a great sign for a Knicks team that will need him down the stretch, especially when fatigue starts to set in. The postseason is a grueling reality, where teams play more physically, and every minute seems longer. They will need Toppin to knock down shots and prove his worth. His latest production is a great sign, as the Knicks have only 11 games left until postseason play.

“We all get in the gym and get extra shots up,’’ Toppin said. “We’re all sponges to the game and we’re getting better every single day. It’s helping me.”

Should the Knicks be giving Obi Toppin more minutes?

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New York Knicks, Obi Toppin

2021 has been an encouraging year for the New York Knicks. On pace to surpass 35 wins, the first time since the 2013-14 season, the Knicks have produced a formula of success that has led their team to a stout 29-27 record, with a playoff berth looking more and more inevitable as the season progresses.

At the forefront of this progress has been a lights-out, defensive regiment implemented and directed by first-year head coach Tom Thibodeau. Currently sitting in first in points allowed (104.3) and opposing field goal percentage (44.2%), the Knicks have the best defense in the league and have upheld that exceptional defensive fortitude over the vast majority of the year (ESPN).

But despite such, the Knicks have struggled to keep their losses at bay this season, an issue that has been amplified over the last two weeks. To give you an idea, the Knicks lost five of their previous six games prior to their four-game winning streak, illustrating a level of inconsistency that needs to be straightened out (ESPN). There’s a handful of different reasons why the Knicks have as many losses as they do. But one thing that’s for sure is that the defense is actually not to blame here. If anything, despite the presence of All-Star Julius Randle and young sophomore stud RJ Barrett, the Knicks actually post not only one of the lowest scoring outputs in the league (27th with 105.6 points per game) but also muster one of the lowest field goal attempt averages with only 86.5 per game (ESPN). On top of that, the Knicks are just not shooting that well from the field either (45%), which doesn’t help their cause when they don’t put up a lot of shots to begin with (ESPN).

Ultimately, the Knicks have shown up defensively but have fallen short offensively all too often this season. And with the losses they have accumulated, this scoring concern is something that will need to change as the season slowly comes to a close. Moreover, with the trade deadline already long gone, the Knicks will have to utilize the offensive strengths they have on hand and need to find a way to ramp up their shooting output and efficiency as a whole.

Though it might be tricky to change this significantly over the remaining stretch of the season, the best bet for the Knicks offensive woes would be to increase the minutes of their first-round pick, Obi Toppin. Currently, Toppin plays an average of 11.4 minutes per game, which for the 8th overall pick is pretty low (ESPN). Yes, he’s young, he’s a rookie, and still has plenty to learn, so it’s important to keep in mind that this adjustment by no means would alleviate the Knicks offensive struggles wholeheartedly. But believe it or not, increasing Toppin’s minutes would greatly benefit the Knicks offensively and grant them a big boost off the bench for a variety of reasons.

To begin with, Toppin was an excellent scorer in college and brought tremendous athleticism for his position. Attending the University of Dayton for two years, Toppin played really well both seasons and took grand strides with his development moving into his sophomore year. In his second year alone, Toppin was dropping 20 ppg, grabbing 7.5 rpg, and was shooting a stellar 39% from 3-PT range and over 60% from the field (ESPN). This kind of scoring efficiency and production is precisely what the Knicks need right now, and Toppin brings that both inside and out.

In addition, if you take a look at the list of Top 10 picks in the 2020 NBA Draft, every single rookie outside of Toppin, Onyeka Okongwu (Atlanta Hawks), and Jalen Smith (Phoenix Suns), are averaging 20+ minutes per game for their respective teams this season. Naturally, every team has specific and uniquely different needs, and for the Knicks, their greater priority this season has been revitalizing the guard position play on both sides of the ball. But when you have a first-round pick (8th overall) that brings so much versatility offensively, it’s essential that they receive more playing time, be it as a starter or not. And for Toppin, that has not been the case.

Moreover, even as productive as Toppin has been considering the minutes he’s received, playing him for only 11.4 minutes won’t allow him to develop at the rate he could be. Just take the month of April, for example: In 8 games, Toppin is playing 10.3 minutes per game, scores about 4.6 ppg on 51.7% shooting from the field, and grabs 2.1 rebounds in the process as well (ESPN). If Thibodeau were to remotely lift his minutes to even just 18-20 per game, his scoring output and rebound production would rise significantly. The reason why the Knicks drafted Toppin and not a guard at 8th overall was because he was arguably the most talented overall player left on the draft board, and the Knicks have to put that to the test by increasing his minutes and actually giving him a chance to show why he was the right investment.

However, the biggest question that comes along with this decision is which players sacrifice minutes in order for Toppin to play more? Obviously, Randle and Barrett both need to maintain their hefty dose of minutes and the amount that has been granted to Nerlens Noel, Mitchell Robinson (when healthy), Reggie Bullock, and Elfrid Payton are all fair and justifiable considering their roles on the team. But outside of this core group, the Knicks have plenty of leeway to adjust the minutes of some players that haven’t been necessarily producing at the rate that’s needed of them with the minutes that they are being given. And the two players whose minutes need to be reduced the most are Alec Burks and Immanuel Quickley. For starters, the number of minutes that Toppin should ideally receive is 20 minutes per game, which would be just a little over an 8-minute deduction in total from Burks and Quickly. In short, that’s really not a whole lot between the two of them and would improve the Knicks shooting efficiency from the field significantly. Although both players bring great 3-PT shooting, with Burks making 40.8% of his shots from deep and Quickley making 37.5% of his, they’re also shooting quite poorly from the field, with Burks posting a field goal percentage of only 41.4% in 25.8 minutes per game and Quickley posting an even worse field goal percentage of 38.5% in 19.5 minutes per game (ESPN).

Whether the Knicks take off 6 minutes from Quickly and 2 from Burks or keep it even and take off 4 minutes from each, allocating a full 20 minutes per game towards a more efficient, high-percentage scorer in Toppin, would improve this inconsistent Knicks offense when they need it most. The Knicks could be playoff bound this year, and although that would be a nice feat as is, it’s in their best interest to try to make the most out of their first potential playoff run in nearly a decade. But if they want to make that happen, their offensive production has to improve. And that starts by giving more minutes to Obi Toppin.

Knicks’ Julius Randle raves about Obi Toppin’s performance against Dallas

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New York Knicks, Obi Toppin

The New York Knicks were embarrassed by the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night, who completely controlled them down the stretch. Falling 99-86, New York has had significant problems with their offense, reaching 100 points just once in the past three games, and barely against the worst team in the NBA, the Minnesota Timberwolves. Against Dallas, their star players fell ill to hopeful expectations, with Julius Randle scoring 14 and RJ Barrett eight.

However, the Knicks experienced one solid performance from the eighth overall pick this year, Obi Toppin. Toppin played just 11 minutes, going 4-of-5 from the field, and scored nine points. He also collected two rebounds and one steal, earning +5 +/-.

Fellow teammate Julius Randle was ecstatic for the rookie, who had struggled this season prior to the matchup against Dallas. He’s averaging just 4.2 points, 2.2 rebounds, and .486 from the field over 11.7 minutes per game. Alternatively, Immanuel Quickley has earned far more playing time and more opportunities to showcase his abilities.

“His confidence, I’m proud of him,’’ Randle said. “He just looked aggressive and wasn’t worried about making mistakes. So that’s great.’’

Despite Toppin’s performance, the Knicks are in a bit of a funk, losing their last three games. They quickly need to get out of this bad string of performances, as they take on a lowly Detroit Pistons team on Saturday at 8 PM.

“We’re in a little bit of a funk and we’ve got to work our way out of it,’’ Thibodeau said.

The Knicks have a significant advantage over Detroit, who are coming off a win over the Washington Wizards. Nonetheless, they’ve lost six of their last eight games, with just 14 wins and 34 losses this season.

The leading players for Detroit are Jerami Grant, who is averaging 22.5 points per game, and Josh Jackson, averaging 13 points per. Ultimately, this should be an easy one for the Knicks, considering they traded a majority of their team away at the deadline and don’t have any bonafide star players. However, New York does have to keep an eye on Hamidou Diallo, who has been killing it for Detroit recently, averaging 14.7 points in his three games with the team.

 

 

Mavs sink lethargic Knicks to 3rd straight loss

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Luka Doncic got loose in the final quarter to power the Dallas Mavericks to an ugly 99-86 rout of the slumping New York Knicks Friday night at The Garden.

The Mavericks overcame the absence of their head coach Rick Carlisle, who tested positive for COVID-19 before the game.

Jamahl Mosley, who interviewed for the Knicks coaching job in the offseason, guided the Mavericks to their 26th win in 47 games for a firm grip of the seventh spot in West.

The loss dropped the Knicks one game under .500 (24-25), tied with the Boston Celtics for the seventh and eighth spots in the East.

Doncic delivered 13 of his 26 points in the final 9:36 while ex-Knick Kristaps Porzingis punctuated the road win with an alley-oop slam.

Doncic shot 6-for-11 in the decisive fourth quarter, converting one more field goal than the whole Knicks combined.

“It was a hard-fought game up to that point,” New York coach Tom Thibodeau said.

It was a struggle offensively for the Knicks, who shot 5-for-19 in the final frame as they only coughed up 17 points.

Despite their shooting struggles all game long, the Knicks only trailed by three, 78-75, early in the fourth.

Then Jalen Brunson, son of ex-Knick Rick Brunson and a former Tom Thibodeau assistant, caught fire. He combined with Doncic in a back-breaking 12-0 run to pull away for good.

Brunson finished with 15 points. Former Knicks Porzingis and Tim Hardaway, Jr. added 14 apiece.

Porzingis, who got booed lustily by a sparse Garden crowd, overcame a 2-for-11 shooting in the first half. The 2015 Knicks’ fourth overall pick made four of his six shots in the second half.

On the other hand, the Knicks’ current top three players—Julius Randle, RJ Barrett, and rookie Immanuel Quickley—were a combined 10-for-40 from the field. The entire team shot 36 percent overall.

Alec Burks paced New York with 20 points off the bench. Randle ended up with 14 points, eight rebounds, and 11 assists, but he was only 5-for-20 from the field. He also committed a team-worst five turnovers.

The Knicks looked banged up, lacking the bounce and energy in their game.

“We’re at the stage of the season where players start to feel something. We have to manage that, play better. Right now, we’re in a bit of a funk,” Thibodeau said. “We have to fight our way to get out of it.”

With their offense stagnant, the Mavericks pounced on the opportunity, punishing the Knicks inside the paint.

Dallas scored the bulk of their points around the rim, outscoring New York, 50-30 in the paint.

“We have to play with energy and share the ball,” Thibodeau lamented.

New York only had 18 assists, 11 of them coming from Randle. Derrick Rose was the only other Knick who issued more than one with four assists.

Obi Toppin was the only bright spot for the Knicks. The lottery pick finally hit his strides offensively, scoring all of his nine points in a fun stretch in the second quarter. Toppin’s explosion highlighted by a nasty putback slam over Porzingis had the Knicks jumping to a 13-point lead. But it was short-lived.

The Mavericks closed out the first half with an 18-2 run to go up by three at the break, 49-46.

It was all downhill from there.

The Knicks have barely 24 hours to recover and dig deep in their reservoir for energy as they travel to Detroit for the second game of a back-to-back schedule.

Perhaps they can find some energy from Norvel Pelle, the shot-blocking big man they recently signed to a 10-day contract in the wake of Mitchell Robinson’s foot injury.

The Pistons will also welcome back their lottery pick Killian Hayes, who hasn’t played since January with a hip injury.

New York has beaten Detroit twice this season. But with the way the Knicks are playing lately, a third straight win isn’t a guarantee.

It will get more challenging for the Knicks after the Pistons with the surging Brooklyn Nets and the Celtics on their plate next week.

Follow this writer on Twitter: @alderalmo

Can Knicks’ Obi Toppin live up to his lottery pick expectations?

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New York Knicks, Obi Toppin

It is early, really early to be having a conversation about New York Knicks’ power forward Obi Toppin. However, Toppin has quickly been surpassed by 25th overall pick Immanuel Quickley in terms of impact and production in their rookie seasons.

Obi was selected eighth overall and was expected to be a powerhouse in transition and offered the Knicks a dominant presence in the paint. Through 27 games, Toppin is averaging just 4.7 points and 2.5 rebounds over 12.7 minutes. Ultimately, his production hasn’t even been close to his lottery pick expectations.

The former Dayton stand-out participated in and slam dunk contest on Sunday evening in the All-Star game, just barely being edged out but posting a few impressive dunks in the process.

Toppin is a physical and exciting player in transition, and the Knicks likely felts with their elite defense, he would offer them a rangy player when traveling the length of the court and scoring in transition. Unfortunately, his adaptation to the NBA has been a bit troublesome. He has been buried on the depth chart as a last choice on the second team. His 12.7 minutes barely scratch the surface, especially when Quickley is averaging 18.8 per game.

Despite his deficiencies, specifically on defense and inability to dominate in the post, Toppin has an elite work ethic, and most aren’t worried that he will eventually grow into his role and begin impacting the team.

The question to ask is, why do the Knicks continue to ignore the point guard position in favor of power forwards? While he is a developing second piece behind Julius Randle, New York has desperately needed a PG for quite some time. They are currently rolling with a rotation of Derrick Rose, Elfrid Payton, and Quickley. In fact, I would be surprised if Toppin even cracks the starting team next year, given the presence of Randle and the amount of cap space the Knicks have to acquire a star player. That doesn’t devalue him as a second-team player, as he can make an impact in that role as well.

I see Obi making an impact as a productive pick-and-roll man, specifically when featuring in the frontcourt, using his speed and athleticism to tantalize defenses and force them to move out of shape.

Since Toppin was expected to be a ready-made player for the NBA at 22 years old, his production this year has been a bit disappointing. However, when the game finally starts to slow down, and he can find his role, I believe the Knicks will begin to rely on him more.