New York Knicks: Predicting a starting lineup for the 2020-21 season
Power Forward: Obi Toppin
The first potential controversial pick of this article. The young rookie pips the veteran for the power forward spot.
Julius Randle is undoubtedly talented. He is a bull in a china shop, he is a Zach Randolph clone, he can score, he can rebound, he is a good passer for his position and he is ready to contribute right now.
The one area of Randle’s game that is average at best is his defense. In a Tom Thibadeau system, being average simply isn’t going to cut it. Maybe with coaching and extra work Randle can become a better defender but right now, he is probably going to be more impactful in a bench role dominating the opposing team’s second units.
That leaves a fairly sizeable hole in the starting lineup. The New York Knicks are lucky that they drafted a power forward this offseason.
While Obi Toppin is a rookie, he isn’t a young rookie. At 22 years of age, he is actually a month older than starting center Mitchell Robinson.
There has been a trend in the NBA over the last number of years of older players coming out of college after a few years and contributing right away. Most famously Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green, Kyle Kuzma, and Josh Hart.
Expect for Obi Toppin to make an immediate impact for the New York Knicks and for him to be heavily in the conversation for rookie of the year. Toppin is a modern power forward who can do everything.
He can shoot the 3-ball, he can score inside, he is a tremendous athlete, he is strong, a solid rebounder, a decent passer for his size, and most importantly for Coach Thibs, he is a willing and active defender.
Mitchell Robinson and Obi Toppin will compliment each other perfectly. Robinson and Julius Randle do not. They occupy the same space and disrupt the Knicks floor spacing all last season.
If the Knicks truly want Robinson to flourish, they need to put someone beside him who will bring the best out Robinson and allow him to do his thing down low. Toppin is that guy.
The Knicks will have the security blanket of Randle if things don’t work out but looking at Toppin as a player, you would bet on him figuring things out sooner rather than later and putting together a rookie of the year caliber season.