Getty Immanuel Quickley and Obi Toppin of the New York Knicks react during a game against the Detroit Pistons.
Spotrac’s cap guru Keith Smith predicted that the New York Knicks would not offer an extension contract to their former lottery pick Obi Toppin this offseason.
Toppin is extension-eligible before the start of next season after completing his third year in the NBA.
“Toppin’s career has been spent as a low-minute backup behind Julius Randle. There’s very much still a mystery box quality to his game. He’s flashed when given time, but those flashes aren’t extension-worthy…unless he’s traded ahead of the extension deadline,” Keith wrote.
Toppin averaged just 7.0 points and 3.0 rebounds in 15.7 minutes this season, but he flashed his potential every time he got a spot-start when Randle was out.
Since entering the league, Toppin averaged 20.8 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists while shooting 44% from deep in 15 games as a starter.
But with the Knicks all-in on Randle, who is set to earn up to $28.2 million next season, including incentives, will they commit top dollar for a 15-minute backup?
If the Knicks decide to trade the 25-year-old Toppin in the offseason, Smith predicts the receiving team would likely lock him up to a friendly deal during his prime years.
“No extension, unless he’s traded. Then, four years and $70 million seems like a worthy gamble as an upside bet,” Keith wrote.
Toppin will be 30 by the time he finishes a standard four-year rookie extension, unless he opts for a short-term extension and bet on himself for a far more lucrative deal during his prime years.
NBA GM Links Obi Toppin to Cavs, Kings
An anonymous league executive linked Toppin to two teams that could give him a better opportunity outside his hometown New York.
“There have been teams who want to pluck Obi from there for the last few years,” the Eastern Conference general manager told Heavy Sports’ Sean Deveney. “Cleveland would have an interest. He makes a lot of sense in Sacramento. But the Knicks give every indication that they want to keep him, at least until he gets that first bigger contract, and they could maybe move him then.”
The Cavaliers passed up on Toppin in the 2020 NBA Draft and selected Isaac Okoro at No. 5. Okoro has not flourished in a starting role as he saw his role shrink in their playoff loss to the Knicks.
Meanwhile, the Kings could have a vacancy at the forward spot with starter Harrison Barnes set to become an unrestricted free agent.
Knicks May Revisit Obi Toppin Trade Talks With Pacers
According to SNY’s Knicks insider Ian Begley, the Knicks and the Indiana Pacers may revisit the earlier trade talks involving Toppin in a possible swap with another former lottery pick, Chris Duarte.
“I know the Knicks and the Pacers, prior to the [trade] deadline, had something in place like a loose framework, and it was Obi, and I think you look at the Pacers roster, you know Chris Duarte, there’s some duplication around him,” Begley said on the May 17 episode of SNY’s The Putback.
“So, I think Indiana thought maybe that could work, and there were obviously pieces, draft picks involved. They couldn’t get a deal done, but maybe they revisit that at some point this off-season if the [Knicks] decide that, ‘hey, we need to free up that spot or we don’t think Obi could fit here long term.’”