Getty Fans want to see Obi Toppin get more minutes.
The New York Knicks find themselves under .500 after the loss to the Atlanta Hawks, and there a lot of fingers being pointed as to who’s to blame for this.
There are some people calling on coach Tom Thibodeau to be fired, but if that doesn’t happen, it does seem like he’ll have to start making some adjustments before the season slips away again.
Something Thibodeau hasn’t liked doing is playing Julius Randle and Obi Toppin together, even if that seems like a simple decision to make for people on the outside looking in.
With the team struggling, fans are once again calling for Obi Toppin to get more minutes, and some of them are even saying its “criminal” what Thibodeau has done with the former lottery pick’s minutes.
Fans Call for More Obi Toppin Minutes
ITS CRIMINAL HOW OBI TOPPIN HAS BEEN TREATED BY THIBS THE PAST 2+ YEARS.
IMAGINE WHAT THIS GUY COULD DO IF HE GOT RANDLE MINUTES SMH
Fans have been wanting Toppin to get more minutes ever since he was drafted, but the Knicks have been resistant to doing so, mainly because he plays the same position as Randle.
Whenever he comes into the game, the team seems to always get a boost thanks to his high-flying acrobatics. He’s certainly flashed star potential, but the Knicks don’t seem like they want to be the team that sees him achieve it.
“It’s criminal how Obi Toppin has been treated by Thibs the past 2+ years,” said one fan. “Imagine what this guy could do if he got Randle minutes SMH.”
Fun fact : Obi Toppin has made only 9 less field goals than Julius Randle with 48 less shot attempts.
Julius Randle has played 228 minutes this year. Obi Toppin has played 112 minutes.
Through seven games this season, Toppin has averaged 16 minutes a game, a minute less than what he got last season. Despite that, he’s shooting more shots than ever and averaging a career high in points at 9.9.
With Randle going through some struggles to start the year, the time is perfect for Toppin to see more minutes, but it just isn’t happening so far.
“OBI TOPPIN IS HIM!!! HOW CAN YOU NOT GIVE THIS MAN MINUTES???” said The Knicks Wall Twitter account.
For many people, it seems like a simple solution for the Knicks to find a way to get more minutes for the lottery pick, but apparently the problems run deeper than that.
Worst case scenario for the team would be seeing him realize his potential elsewhere instead of with New York. There’s still time to prevent that, but the clock is certainly ticking.
Toppin Stays For Now
The Knicks made the decision to pick up Toppin’s fourth-year option so he’ll be with the team for the rest of this season and the next barring a trade.
He’s somebody who could be dangled in a trade in the future, but after missing out on Donovan Mitchell, it’s not clear how many more blockbuster trades will present themselves going forward.
Toppin is 24 years old, so he’s among some of the older players in the league on a rookie deal still, so the time for him to realize his potential is getting closer. Fans want him to do it wearing a Knicks jersey, and there was a stretch last season when Randle was out that Toppin showed he could do it.
It all comes down to what Thibodeau decides to do with his minutes. So far, he’s been hesitant, but that doesn’t mean he can’t change his mind.