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Message: [QUOTE="Lefty2one, post: 3978940, member: 1001"] There are levels to it. Toppin didn't look like an NBA player for much of the season. It's more alarming with a 23-year-old rookie than an 18-year-old one. You can't call anyone a bust after one season, but there was plenty of reason for concern. At one point he had airballed more threes than he'd made. Toppin looked about as lost as a rookie as an 18-year-old Frank Ntilikina did. But Toppin had a short camp, a short offseason, and a coach who doesn't love rookies. You can throw out a lot of rookie seasons, a COVID rookie season even more. It was also frustrating that the Knicks were not using him in a way suited to his current skillset. That said, in today's NBA any big can be a solid piece if he can learn to shoot. If Obi is nothing more than an average 3PT shooter who can cut and finish around the rim he'll be worth the #8 pick. He has a good feel for the game and is an unselfish kid who works hard and plays hard. Those are good players to have in your org. I just found it odd that the Knicks were so love in with him as a prospect, were strongly considering trading up for him, and were celebrating on draft night like they just got the steal of the draft. While no one expected the Knicks to have such a good season, this series vs ATL highlights perfectly why Haliburton was the pick. This team sorely needed playmakers and perimeter defenders. I doubt a rookie Haliburton would swing the series in the Knicks favor (Trae obviously obliterated the historically bad SAC defense during the regular season) but he helps fill the biggest cracks. [/QUOTE]

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