Getty Obi Toppin and Tom Thibodeau of the New York Knicks.
Obi Toppin’s frustration about his lack of playing time boiled over after the New York Knicks’ Game 4 loss to eventual Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat in their second round series, The Athletic’s Fred Katz reported on June 21.
“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.”
Toppin played only six minutes off the bench, tallying 4 points and 1 rebound in the Knicks’ 109-101 loss on May 8. The defeat sent them to a 3-1 series deficit, and they would eventually lose the series 4-2.
“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,” Katz wrote. “Toppin and Brunson got into it for a moment. Randle, Evan Fournier and Josh Hart next pulled Toppin aside to cool him off.”
Toppin and Thibodeau patched things up the next day, according to Katz. There were no ill effects of that altercation as the Knicks won Game 5, with Toppin playing 12 minutes off the bench to extend the series, but they eventually folded in Game 6.
Is Tom Thibodeau a Fan of Obi Toppin?
Before the Knicks’ opening-round win against the Cleveland Cavaliers, a longtime NBA scout foreshadowed the heated encounter between Toppin, a former lottery pick in 2020, and his coach.
“I like Obi, and I like athletic guys. I do wonder if [Thibodeau] is a fan of Obi,” the Western Conference scout told Heavy Sports. “It’s so important to have the coach in your corner. Is he getting frustrated? I’m sure he wants to play. But I know he’s a good team guy. I know Knicks management was very active. I’m sure they’ll be listening to offers.”
Will that verbal spat serve as the last straw for Toppin and the Knicks?
Obi Toppin on the Move?
The NBA scout foreshadowed not only the verbal spat but also Toppin’s desire to be traded.
“I wonder how much better he gets,” the Western Conference scout told Heavy Sports in May. “Is he just going to be an athletic guy that can maybe make some shots, sometimes on the floor or make a dunk? He’s not super skilled.
“So I think maybe when the offseason comes, I’m sure they’ll listen, and maybe who knows, if Toppin will ask for a trade. I just don’t know if his future is in New York. He’s a former lottery pick and if he’s not playing major minutes now, he needs to maybe find another place, another opportunity,” the NBA scout added.
On June 20, a report came out that Toppin and the Knicks have mutually agreed to part ways.
“League sources indicated that Toppin was hoping for a trade at the deadline last season and now both sides are in alignment that it’s time for a change of scenery for Toppin,” Newsday’s Steve Popper wrote.