Getty Obi Toppin of the New York Knicks looks on during the second half against the New York Knicks.
Though the Cleveland Cavaliers ultimately thwarted the New York Knicks’ pursuit of Donovan Mitchell this past offseason, Yahoo Sports’ David Vertsberger believes they could prove to be a viable trade partner for the franchise before the January 9 deadline comes to pass.
In a piece published on February 3, Vertsberger argued that Leon Rose and company should look to trade third-year big man Obi Toppin this season, stating that he “has been in a perpetual bind with starting power forward Julius Randle” since he arrived in the Big Apple and that despite his steady improvements throughout the years “Toppin still can’t crack 16 minutes a night,” with the All-Star forward logging the overwhelming majority of frontcourt minutes.
It is because of this that Vertsberger believes that the Knicks should be open to the idea of offloading the 24-year-old via trade, if for nothing more than to better fill out the rotation, and, in his latest piece, he proposed the idea of pursuing a deal with the Cavaliers for two players, in specific.
The hypothetical trade package reads as follows:
New York Knicks receive:
- Caris LeVert
- Ricky Rubio
Cleveland Cavaliers receive:
- Evan Fournier
- Obi Toppin
Cavs Notes: Caris LeVert, Cedi Osman, Trade Rumors – Hoops Wire
Though only having just arrived in Cleveland mid-way through last season, through the first half of 2022-23 rumors have circulated suggesting that the Cavaliers may be open to shopping the 28-year-old should the right opportunity present itself.
In Vertsberger’s eyes, a package of the promising Toppin and the long-range sniper Evan Fournier (his 37.9% 3-point percentage could help improve the team’s production from beyond the arc, as they hoist the seventh-fewest attempts per game) could be enough of an incentive for them to strike on a deal.
LeVert Could Intrigue the Knicks
For the Knicks, though adding the seasoned veteran point guard Ricky Rubio could be an interesting concept, as he was viewed as a viable free agency option for the franchise this past summer, obviously the main draw would be the acquisition of Caris LeVert who, though not a star by any means, has proven himself to be a quality two-way talent throughout his time in the association.
Now in his seventh season in the NBA, the former 2016 first-round pick finds himself serving as an important contributor for the fifth-seeded Cavs. Through 49 games played LeVert boasts averages of 12.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.8 assists on a highly respectable 37.4% shooting from distance.
Ricky Dimes 🤝 Caris Baskets
Just recently, Knicks Fan TV’s CP “The Franchise” held a discussion on Bleacher Report where he discussed how one of New York’s biggest weaknesses this season has proven to be their second-unit scoring punch, particularly in the fourth period where they currently rank 26th in points (26.2), 25th in field goal percentage (45.9), and 28th 3-point percentage (30.0).
By adding LeVert, they’d be bringing on another willing playmaker to pair with Immanuel Quickley off the bench while also finally addressing their wing depth that, based on their well documented interest in OG Anunoby and the recent rumors of they have intrigue in Detroit Piston’s forward Saddiq Bey, is something they’re seemingly looking to bolster via the trade market.
Such an acquisition would also be a rather low-risk move for the Knick to make for, should the experiment end up not going as planned, LeVert’s current three-year, $52 million contract expires at the end of this season, thus allowing the two parties to cleanly go their separate ways without any dangerous long-term financial ramifications.
While the concept of seeing Obi Toppin part ways with the Knicks this season may be a bit unsavory, considering the front office already engaged in trade negotiations within the last couple of months, should they be looking to part with the 23-year-old anyway acquiring an established veteran in Rubio and a low-risk, high-upside player like LeVert without giving up any substantial capital in the process and while shedding the remaining two years of Evan Fournier’s lofty deal is, at the very least, something worthy of New York’s considering.
Knicks’ Big Displeased With Teammate’s All-Star Snub
Thursday evening it was announced that Knicks big man Julius Randle has been selected to the 2023 NBA All-Star game and, in turn, will be representing New York during the illustrious exhibition in Salt Lake City on February 19.
Though certainly exited to have received his second nod in three seasons, during a post-game media session following their latest outing against the Miami Heat, the 28-year-old made it a point to note that his teammate, Jalen Brunson, should be heading to Utah with him.
“Obviously it’s a huge honor man, it’s a lot that goes into it. A lot of trust and belief in myself and the people around me…Only thing that really sucks is that I think Jalen [Brunson] should be right here with me,” Randle said.
Julius Randle reflected on being named an All-Star for the second time in his career:
“Only thing that really sucks is that I think Jalen [Brunson] should be right here with me”
In their first season as teammates, the tandem of Randle and Brunson has been one of the major catalysts for the club’s winning record of 28-25, as the former has been sporting impressive averages of 24.7 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 4.1 assists on 45.7% shooting from the field while the latter is putting up career highs of 22.8 points and 6.2 assists on 39.4% shooting from distance.