Obi Toppin and New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau got into an intense verbal altercation during the 2023 NBA playoffs, according to Fred Katz of The Athletic.
The incident happened after the Knicks lost Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals to the Miami Heat in South Beach.
“According to league sources who were present, once the final buzzer sounded Toppin aired his grievances to Thibodeau,” Katz wrote. “The 24-year-old wants to play, and he wants to win. That evening, neither happened. An intense verbal altercation occurred between the player and coach as the group trekked to the Kaseya Center visiting locker room in Miami. It spilled into the postgame meeting once the doors closed.
“On this occasion, as Toppin yelled at Thibodeau in front of teammates so fresh off a loss that they were still in uniform, assistant coach Rick Brunson stepped in to stand up for his boss. Toppin and Brunson got into it for a moment. Randle, Evan Fournier and Josh Hart next pulled Toppin aside to cool him off.”
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Obi Toppin, Tom Thibodeau & New York Knicks Updates
Toppin is eligible to sign a rookie-scale extension this offseason. He would become a restricted free agent in the summer of 2024 if the Knicks didn’t sign him to an extension. The Dayton product has career averages of 7.0 points, 3.0 boards and 0.9 assists.
“The Athletic recently conducted a poll of 15 people who work in front offices across the NBA, asking them what they would deem a ‘fair’ extension for Toppin,” Katz wrote. “Sources were granted anonymity so that they could speak freely. Results varied — but not necessarily because participants thought much differently about Toppin as a player. Ten of the 15 people polled for this story valued Toppin within shouting distance of the $12.2 million midlevel exception. Those 10 ranged from $10 million to $15 million a year. The largest suggested contract (in terms of both total money and average annual value) came from one person who deemed $60 million over four seasons fair.
“Five people suggested salaries between $13 million and $14 million on either three- or four-year deals. Two proposed between $12 million and $13 million a season. Two more said $30 million over three years — a clean $10 million annually.”
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Obi Toppin, Tom Thibodeau & New York Knicks Updates
Toppin was frustrated at times with his role this past season, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. He is behind All-Star Julius Randle in the Knicks’ rotation.
Want the latest NBA analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click Here. Follow NBA Analysis Network on Twitter and Facebook.
