Getty Obi Toppin of the New York Knicks looks to pass.
We may be on the verge of the official start of free agency, but trade rumblings appear to be all the rage and, according to one NBA insider, the New York Knicks have already been reported as having taken part in talks on a potential deal.
Per SNY’s Ian Begley, the Knickerbockers have been “in touch” with conference rival the Indiana Pacers regarding a possible trade involving third-year power forward, Obi Toppin.
“Knicks would be seeking draft compensation in any potential Obi Toppin-to-Indiana trade, per SNY sources. Knicks and Pacers have been in touch on a trade involving Toppin,” Begley reported via Twitter.
Begley’s report would go on to credit fellow insider Marc Stein for initially reporting that “Indiana was a top trade destination for Toppin.”
The Pacers have already kicked off their offseason with a trade on June 30 that sent 2021 lottery-selected forward Chris Durate to the Sacramento Kings in exchange for draft compensation. With these incoming assets, it’s feasible that they could now look to flip them in exchange for the services of Toppin.
Pacers Have Previously Been Linked to Knicks Forward
Begley’s report is certainly not the first time the Pacers have been linked to the Knicks big, as an anonymous league executive told Heavy Sports NBA insider Sean Deveney back in December of 2022 that Indiana had engaged in trade talks regarding a possible in-season deal to acquire his talents.
“He fits in Indiana, especially if they keep Turner. Obi is a rim-runner, he has some toughness, he has athleticism. He needs minutes and a team that is rebuilding with young talent like Indy is a really good match,” the exec told Deveney.
OBI TOPPIN 🔥
He’s up to a season high 32… Knicks up 127-122 on the NBA App.
Despite sporting rather underwhelming per-game averages of 7.0 points and 3.0 rebounds for his career, when actually given an increased role within the Knicks rotation throughout his three-year stint, Obi Toppin has has only managed to shine.
Whle serving as a starter — a role the Pacers would likely look to thrust him into should they acquire him –, the 25-year-old boasts stellar averages of 20.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.1 assists while shooting 57.6% from the field and 44.0% from deep.
Josh Hart Makes Decision on 2023-24 Option With Knicks
Though Obi Toppin’s future with the Knicks may be a bit up in the air, the same cannot be said about their 2023 trade deadline acquisition Josh Hart, as The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported on Thursday evening that the veteran wing has agreed to opt into the final season of his current three-year, $37.9 million deal to stay in New York.
New York Knicks G/F Josh Hart has opted into his $12.9 million contract to return for the 2023-24 season, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
To many, this news could come as a bit of a surprise considering Hart himself has gone on record this offseason to state that he’d “probably decline” his option and look to sign a new deal with the Knicks in free agency.
However, with this decision, the Knicks have now created more financial flexibility for themselves to utilize on the open market, with some such as Ian Begley now believing that a pursuit of Donte DiVincenzo could very well be on the horizon.
“In some ways, it starts with Josh Hart. Hart, DiVincenzo’s college teammate at Villanova, has a $13 million player option for 2023-24. He was widely expected to opt out of the deal and become a free agent. But the Knicks and Hart recently agreed to push the date to decide on the option to Thursday. This suggests that Hart’s decision could impact a corresponding move for New York. I assume that corresponding move involves making a run at DiVincenzo,” Begley wrote.