Obi Toppin and the reasons the Knicks and Tom Thibodeau had to let go

Last night's Finals saw Obi Toppin blast huge threes and make hustling plays for the Pacers, which reminded me of a long-standing frustration: Tom Thibodeau never knew how to use him well in New York. Toppin, who was selected eighth overall by the Knicks in 2020, showed promise as Julius Randle's backup. He gave the Knicks a fast-paced dimension, agility, and intensity that they didn't have. For heaven's sake, he even took home the Slam Dunk trophy. Under Thibs, however, minutes were not gained by exploration but by seasoned deference. Toppin took a seat. Other young players did the same. As a result of the coach's refusal to change, the Knicks lost a valuable asset.

It was time for the Knicks to move on following their elimination from the Eastern Conference Finals because of that same stubbornness. Ariel Hukporti, Pacome Dadiet, and Tyler Kolek are three young, potential players in New York. Huk was the lone rookie to play significant minutes under Thibs last season, and he only did so when Mitchell Robinson was recuperating from surgery. It would be a waste of both potential and team-building flexibility not to help these three people grow.