NBA News Roundup: Obi Toppin 'Can't wait' to face Blake Griffin, media member has no sympathy for Kyrie Irving

The NBA preseason begins this evening with a matchup between two of the Eastern Conference's lower seeds last season, the New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons. In the latest NBA News, rookie Obi Toppin has discussed his excitement for the matchup as he seeks to earn minutes heading into the league season. Elsewhere in the East, the fallout of Kyrie Irving's comments regarding the media continues to roll on.

NBA News Roundup: New York Knicks rookie Toppin keen for matchup against Blake Griffin

Davidson v Dayton

The New York Knicks will begin their preseason campaign with a double header against the Detroit Pistons. Both sides had a disappointing year in 2019-20 and will look at this season as developmental. The Pistons have had a large overhaul of players and the Knicks have had an uncharacteristically positive offseason given their years of mistakes.

Before they face off in the NBA preseason opener on Friday night, Knicks rookie Obi Toppin discussed in NBA News how excited he was to play against six-time All-Star Blake Griffin. The 31-year-old is expected to be at full fitness coming into the new season after only playing 18 games for the Pistons last year and Toppin remarked that he couldn't wait to face the former Rookie of the Year.

Obi will make his NBA preseason debut tonight against the Pistons 😤Toppin says he “can’t wait” to face Blake Griffin(via @SBondyNYDN) pic.twitter.com/hdvnT6WrEK

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 11, 2020

Toppin noted how he'd heard a lot of stories in NBA News comparing his game to that of Griffin's and there's no wonder why. Toppin was one of the hottest prospects that came out of this year's NBA Draft and landed at the New York Knicks as the No. 8 pick. Toppin is an extremely athletic forward who can also shoot the ball effectively. He averaged 20 points and 7 rebounds at Dayton last year and will hope to test his talents against one of the best the NBA has to offer.

NBA News: Vincent Goodwill has little sympathy for Kyrie Irving

Detroit Pistons v Brooklyn Nets

In one of the most eye-catching pieces of NBA News this offseason, Kyrie Irving was fined $25,000 by the league on Thursday. Although the fine is meek in comparison to Irving's salary, it was the manner of his response to the ruling and the resultant backlash that has drawn the most attention.

On Peacock TV, senior NBA writer Vincent Goodwill was unsympathetic toward Irving after his comments and really questioned whether Kyrie cares for the players that will come after him.

Kyrie wasn’t called Tragic Johnson or had his gambling tied into his father’s tragic death. Nah, not feeling his arrogance here. pic.twitter.com/oAYhoN5fTP

— Vincent Goodwill (@VinceGoodwill) December 11, 2020

Goodwill noted that Irving hasn't had to face the media attention Magic Johnson faced in NBA News, or how Michael Jordan's father's death was linked by the media to his gambling. Goodwill was reluctant, noting Irving's work that he does away from basketball to help others, to lambast the point guard but when it is written in the player's contract to talk to the media it is hard to give him a free pass.

For now, we will have to wait and watch NBA News updates as to whether Irving changes his mind but we can expect any future appearances to be minimal at best.