Toppin had some great moments for the Knicks in the postseason. He replaced an injured Julius Randle in Game 5 of the first round and scored 12 points. He followed that up with 18 points as a starter in the series-opening loss to Miami.
Toppin will never get primetime minutes as long as Randle is on the roster and New York continues to play in traditional lineups with a paint-bound center.
If you think Quickley’s contract extension talks are going to be complicated, get ready for Toppin. The striker displayed remarkable athleticism and moments of quality attacking play. What is the cost of a power forward who doesn’t shoot threes or doesn’t defend well enough?
It will be interesting to see what happens and what price the Knicks can settle — this summer or next — if Toppin becomes a restricted free agent in 2024.