Major NBA Intel On Knicks, Obi Toppin Trade Possibility

The New York Knicks and Obi Toppin could work together on a trade if the team can’t find a way to create more minutes for the forward, according to NBA insider Ian Begley of SNY.

Toppin is eligible to sign a rookie-scale extension this offseason. He would become a restricted free agent in the summer of 2024 if the Knicks didn’t sign him to an extension.

“My understanding of the Toppin situation is this: if the Knicks create an opportunity for Toppin to play more – and regularly – there would be no reason to trade him,” Begley wrote. “But if the Knicks can’t find a way to create more minutes for Toppin, the player and team will work together to try and find a new home for Toppin.”

Toppin and Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau got into an intense verbal altercation during the 2023 playoffs, according to Fred Katz of The Athletic. The incident happened after the Knicks lost Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals to the Miami Heat in South Beach.

“According to league sources who were present, once the final buzzer sounded Toppin aired his grievances to Thibodeau,” Katz wrote. “The 24-year-old wants to play, and he wants to win. That evening, neither happened. An intense verbal altercation occurred between the player and coach as the group trekked to the Kaseya Center visiting locker room in Miami. It spilled into the postgame meeting once the doors closed.

“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.”

Toppin has career averages of 7.0 points, 3.0 boards and 0.9 assists. He is behind All-Star Julius Randle in the Knicks’ rotation.