Obi Toppin (SF/PF, NYK): Week 23 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues

ROSTERED IN: 8% of leagues

ANALYSIS: Is it finally happening? Are the New York Knicks finally going to do it? After a year and a half, is Coach Thibs willing to play Obi Toppin once for all? We gotta give that thought a little bit of pause given that Julius Randle has been out/suspended for a few games, but the truth is that little opening has been taken by storm by reigning Slam Dunk Champ Obi Toppin while looking phenomenal now that he got to play more than 15 minutes a day.

Toppin, a top-10 draft pick a couple of years ago, had the bad luck of getting to a team that saw an improbable development happening to the guy manning Obi's forward spot. That's Randle, whose game has cratered this season. Not even that has made Thibs change his stubborn ways though until he couldn't do anything else with Randle out this past week. And that's why Toppin has played 24, 40, and 27 minutes in the past two games putting up gaudy averages compared to his early-season numbers.

Toppin's line in the past week reads 13-6-2-1 (four games) and he's averaged 26 MPG in that little span. If you are not aware, all the NYK is fighting for at this point is a good draft position and getting as many ping pong balls as possible. There is no reason not to play Toppin and keep running with Randle. So here's hoping Toppin stays on the floor and we get a viable fantasy forward for the next/last two weeks of play. Still around 10 games to go, so while Toppin won't win you the league he can still be a nice addition for those needy while managing in deeper leagues. Fantastic scoring with extraordinary shooting percentages of late (63%+ this week while scoring 1+ 3PM per game) and solid rebounding/stealing.

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