The Knicks decided that one Toppin was not enough.
The Knicks, who did not have a pick in Thursday’s draft, signed Obi Toppin’s younger brother, Jacob Toppin, to a two-way contract following the draft, The Post confirmed.
Toppin played four years of college basketball, starting with a one-year stint at Rhode Island and playing his last three years at the University of Kentucky.
The younger forward, a 6-foot-9, 205-pound 23-year-old, enjoyed a breakout season during his last year at Kentucky, averaging 12.4 points and 6.8 rebounds as he emerged as a full-time starter for the first time in his college career.
A CAA client — the agency with close ties to the Knicks — Jacob’s agent is Sam Rose, son of Knicks president Leon Rose.
The signing came after news broke Wednesday that Obi and Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau had an “intense verbal altercation” following Game 4 of the Knicks’ second-round playoff series against the Miami Heat, per The Athletic.
Toppin’s complaint about a lack of playing time sparked the argument — the third-year forward scored 18 points in 31 minutes in Game 1 against the Heat when star forward Julius Randle was injured, but was only on the floor for six minutes in Game 4.
Obi, who was selected by the Knicks with the No. 8 pick in the 2020 draft before players like Indiana guard Tyrese Haliburton and Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey, has not emerged as a star in three seasons in New York.
The former Dayton star has only averaged 14.7 minutes a game, putting up seven points and three rebounds per in that limited time.
Obi, 24, has flashed stellar athleticism and improved three-point shooting over his tenure with the Knicks, but has heard his name in trade rumors this offseason as the franchise looks for a superstar to pair with Jalen Brunson.
Now, the Knicks have signed their young forward’s brother, perhaps in an effort to mend the relationship.
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Jacob, who did not receive a Division I offer out of high school and did a prep year at Woodstock Academy, is expected to bring a similar kind of athleticism out of the forward position as his brother.
The Knicks also reportedly agreed to a two-way contract with wing Jaylen Martin of the new high school league, Overtime Elite. Martin previously played for former Knick Charlie Ward at the high school level in Florida.
The Knicks now have four players on two-way deals, and only three are permissible, so they will have to make a decision with one of the other two players, Trevor Keels and Duane Washington Jr.
— Additional reporting by Zach Braziller
