Caseloads wrote:We are going to likely have to take a PF in the draft, obi is averaging 6 points in 14.5 minutes on 41% shooting (he’s a career 48% shooter, so he’s regressed)

He averages less than 3 rebounds per game and less than 1 assist per game.

Obi is either misused, a bust or a scrub.

Obi should be at 18 minutes per game and forcing thibs to play him, which he isn’t. He is basically serviceable at this point and you could get the same results with a replacement player at the PF spot from any PF bench player.

He’s not getting any major contract extension here based on those numbers.

Often its the player, or the team and situation, or a combo of both. He should seek minutes elsewhere.
Question how many other teams feel the same way and will give the opportunity and believe he will succeed?
He seems to be shrinking? He is a leaper, and his spot up shooting is respectable, but this game is not what I expected of him. Is this what the team envisioned with him? I thought he’d have more inside influence. We fans touted him as “Amare-esque”.

1. End of college season just ended and no combines to judge him?
2. Draft was in october that year, I forget if teams were able to have individual tryouts?
3. Blame it on RJ.
4. Randle just keeps beasting leaving nothing for the kid.
5. Thibs does not like young players (oops).

Knixkik wrote:

Nalod wrote:

Caseloads wrote:We are going to likely have to take a PF in the draft, obi is averaging 6 points in 14.5 minutes on 41% shooting (he’s a career 48% shooter, so he’s regressed)

He averages less than 3 rebounds per game and less than 1 assist per game.

Obi is either misused, a bust or a scrub.

Obi should be at 18 minutes per game and forcing thibs to play him, which he isn’t. He is basically serviceable at this point and you could get the same results with a replacement player at the PF spot from any PF bench player.

He’s not getting any major contract extension here based on those numbers.

Often its the player, or the team and situation, or a combo of both. He should seek minutes elsewhere.
Question how many other teams feel the same way and will give the opportunity and believe he will succeed?
He seems to be shrinking? He is a leaper, and his spot up shooting is respectable, but this game is not what I expected of him. Is this what the team envisioned with him? I thought he’d have more inside influence. We fans touted him as “Amare-esque”.

1. End of college season just ended and no combines to judge him?
2. Draft was in october that year, I forget if teams were able to have individual tryouts?
3. Blame it on RJ.
4. Randle just keeps beasting leaving nothing for the kid.
5. Thibs does not like young players (oops).

On your last point, we hear Thibs doesn’t like young players often. RJ, IQ, Grimes, Deuce, Sims. Seems like Thibs likes pretty much all of his young players except for Obi if we are being honest. I’m just discouraged by Toppin, especially after the end of last year. I know it was an end-of-year breakout that we see all of the time from players, but it felt like he was really figuring out how to score in the nba. And right now he has no moves or ways to use his athleticism to attack defenses. Knicks front office has made an effort to never have a 3rd PF on the roster, so there is no one pushing Toppin for his 14 mpg. But that’s the front office clearing that path for him, not Thibs liking him enough to keep him in the rotation.

He is an NBA talent, and as such there is precedence of players on teams who gave up at the end of the year able to put up good numbers. Randle is blocking him. He does not have flexible skill to play another position. Remember “OBI AT CENTER” idea? He does not have the handle for SG, nor the foot speed to defend it.
He’ll end up in dallas were they knicks often go. Just a guess, lol.

Nalod wrote:

Knixkik wrote:

Nalod wrote:

Caseloads wrote:We are going to likely have to take a PF in the draft, obi is averaging 6 points in 14.5 minutes on 41% shooting (he’s a career 48% shooter, so he’s regressed)

He averages less than 3 rebounds per game and less than 1 assist per game.

Obi is either misused, a bust or a scrub.

Obi should be at 18 minutes per game and forcing thibs to play him, which he isn’t. He is basically serviceable at this point and you could get the same results with a replacement player at the PF spot from any PF bench player.

He’s not getting any major contract extension here based on those numbers.

Often its the player, or the team and situation, or a combo of both. He should seek minutes elsewhere.
Question how many other teams feel the same way and will give the opportunity and believe he will succeed?
He seems to be shrinking? He is a leaper, and his spot up shooting is respectable, but this game is not what I expected of him. Is this what the team envisioned with him? I thought he’d have more inside influence. We fans touted him as “Amare-esque”.

1. End of college season just ended and no combines to judge him?
2. Draft was in october that year, I forget if teams were able to have individual tryouts?
3. Blame it on RJ.
4. Randle just keeps beasting leaving nothing for the kid.
5. Thibs does not like young players (oops).

On your last point, we hear Thibs doesn’t like young players often. RJ, IQ, Grimes, Deuce, Sims. Seems like Thibs likes pretty much all of his young players except for Obi if we are being honest. I’m just discouraged by Toppin, especially after the end of last year. I know it was an end-of-year breakout that we see all of the time from players, but it felt like he was really figuring out how to score in the nba. And right now he has no moves or ways to use his athleticism to attack defenses. Knicks front office has made an effort to never have a 3rd PF on the roster, so there is no one pushing Toppin for his 14 mpg. But that’s the front office clearing that path for him, not Thibs liking him enough to keep him in the rotation.

He is an NBA talent, and as such there is precedence of players on teams who gave up at the end of the year able to put up good numbers. Randle is blocking him. He does not have flexible skill to play another position. Remember “OBI AT CENTER” idea? He does not have the handle for SG, nor the foot speed to defend it.
He’ll end up in dallas were they knicks often go. Just a guess, lol.

No question Randle is blocking his opportunity. And I’m sure if he’s playing starters minutes he’s averaging 15+ points and 7+ rebounds a game. The concern would be that he’s not a shot blocker, isn’t a good defender at any position, not a great rebounder, has no post moves, and is an improving but still slightly below average outside shooter. I can see him putting up numbers in an offense with LaMelo Ball or Haliburton, but there’s only a couple of teams in the league with creative, pass first guards that have a PF need. The fit would have to be absolutely perfect.

Caseloads wrote:We are going to likely have to take a PF in the draft, obi is averaging 6 points in 14.5 minutes on 41% shooting (he’s a career 48% shooter, so he’s regressed)

He averages less than 3 rebounds per game and less than 1 assist per game.

Obi is either misused, a bust or a scrub.

Obi should be at 18 minutes per game and forcing thibs to play him, which he isn’t. He is basically serviceable at this point and you could get the same results with a replacement player at the PF spot from any PF bench player.

He’s not getting any major contract extension here based on those numbers.

Kid has talent. He will excel with a bigger role. Problem is, he won't get the chance at that bigger role, anywhere, if he does not learn how to impact the game in more ways than just three point shots and occasional dunk.

He should have sat and Obi should have gotten those minutes.

martin wrote:But Obi also has to get some rebounds. I keep looking up and it seems like every game it's 13+ minutes and 1 rebound.

I don't disagree, but if his role on offense is to camp out in the corner and shoot 3's he's never in much of a position to do that.

VDesai wrote:

martin wrote:

VDesai wrote:

martin wrote:But Obi also has to get some rebounds. I keep looking up and it seems like every game it's 13+ minutes and 1 rebound.

I don't disagree, but if his role on offense is to camp out in the corner and shoot 3's he's never in much of a position to do that.

That's an excuse that fails over and over and over again and gets old for me. And you are only talking offensive rebounds.

Obi has got to figure out how to rebound the ball. He ain't sitting on the 3 point line when he plays defense.

Im not disagreeing with you at all, just saying that spatially he's never really in the frame to get the rebound. I'm not sure I can easily just say "Obi doesn't know how to box out."

I think he has two faults when it comes to rebounding

-On the defensive glass, rather than crashing it, he's trying to get out on the fast break for a go ahead pass. That means he's not gonna rebound, but his fast breaking/finishing does give us the opportunity for easy points on occasion.

-On the offensive glass, he's either in the corner and can't make it to the board, or when he does he's running in for the tip/follow and not really thinking about cleaning up a rebound or kicking back out.

Both of the above are either player tendencies (seems likely), or it could be a product of what he's coached to do (maybe- because if they see these as his strengths, they may be asking him to lean into them).

That said his rebound rates are still better than like Tim Thomas, Bargnani, Eddy Curry....former Knicks and pound for pound some of the worst rebounders ever...

Yeah. I think some guys just got it and some don't. He does not have a nose for the ball. I have zero clue about his role in college but his numbers there also seemed low for his position and potential.

He does not seem strong to me for his frame.

BigRedDog wrote:Obi really needs to be much more aggressive. He plays way too passively. Last night perfect example, Knicks had a 3 on 1 break. Obi goes to the left 3 pt line and gets the ball, wide open 3. He hesitates defender comes out , Obi makes a deke towards the basket and then takes a rushed 3pter and misses. He should have taken the original wide open 3 pter. He often gets the ball at the 3 pt line, rarely takes it to the basket and instead just passes it on.

I think this is it for me with Obi. Wasn't he the National Player of the Year? Or at that level in college?

I don't think I've seen that level of accomplishment as a player and then who came into the NBA like he didn't even want to shoot the ball. Crazy