NBA Draft 2020: Knicks land Brooklyn native Obi Toppin

The New York Knicks did well in this draft. Very well! Obi Toppin, who was projected as the fifth pick fell all the way to eighth, in the hands of his home team.

Toppin, a 22 year old, 6’9 sophomore from Dayton, averaged 20 points, 7.5 rebounds and shot .647 from the field during the 2019/20 season and was awarded with numerous awards: Associated Press College Basketball Player of the Year, Naismith College Player of the Year, won the Oscar Robertson Trophy and the John R. Wooden Award. A first team All-American selection, he won the Karl Malone Trophy as the top power forward.

Yes, the Knicks needed a guard but instead they got another forward. But today, the Knicks have just released several players: Wayne Ellington, Elfrid Payton, Kenny Wooten and Taj Gibson. Theo Pinson and Bobby Portis will also part ways with the team as the Knicks decline to exercise the team option for the two of them.

Besides stealing Toppin, New York have also dealt their 27th and 38th picks to the Utah Jazz in exchange for the 23rd overall pick and the rights to Ante Tomić. Then, they traded the 23rd pick to the Minesotta Timberwolves in exchange for the 25th and the 33rd overall picks.

And with the 25th pick, the Knicks have selected Immanuel Quickley from Kentucky. A guard, as this team needed so bad. Quickley, a 21 year old 6’4 guard was the SEC Player of the Year last season and averaged 16.1 points, 4.2 rebounds and shot 42.8% from behind the arc.

Tomić, who is now 33, was selected as the 44th overall pick back in 2008 by the Utah Jazz but has played his entire career in Europe, mostly in Spain where he was a member of Jovenut, Real Madrid, FC Barcelona winning four Spanish Cups and one Liga ACB title. He also played six years in Croatia for Zagreb between 2004-2010.

With the 33rd pick, the Knicks selected Daniel Oturu and then traded him to the LA Clippers in exchange for a 2023 second rounder that belongs to the Detroit Pistons.

What a frenzy this draft was for the Knicks, are you excited?