Getty Obi Toppin #1 of the New York Knicks prepares to dunk the ball against the Indiana Pacers.
Obi Toppin could be taking off in Indiana instead of his hometown New York, catching lobs from Tyrese Haliburton instead of Jalen Brunson.
One of the Knicks’ fiercest rivals in the 90s, the Indiana Pacers have emerged as the leading trade suitor for Toppin, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.
Toppin, the eighth overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, is extension-eligible this summer. But with no pathway to significant minutes behind two-time All-Star forward Julius Randle, his time with the Knicks might be coming to an end this summer.
Toppin’s disappointment with his little playing time came to a head in their playoff loss to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference semifinals when he engaged Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau in a shouting match, per The Athletic’s Fred Katz.
While they patched things up the next day, it was clear that Toppin’s future may be elsewhere.
In three seasons with the Knicks, Toppin averaged 7.0 points and 3.0 rebounds in 14.7 minutes off the bench. But in 15 starts, he flashed his potential that made him the National College Player of the Year before his jump to the pros. He put up 20.8 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists as a starter.
The Knicks and the Pacers have talked about a potential swap of Toppin and Chris Duarte before February’s trade deadline, but nothing came out of it.
“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.
Duarte might no longer be available as he’s headed to the Sacramento Kings, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
The Indiana Pacers are nearing a trade sending guard Chris Duarte to the Sacramento Kings for draft compensation, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
With the Knicks looking to add a free agent with their $12.4 million non-tax midlevel exception, they might settle for a draft compensation for Toppin.
Bruce Brown to Meet With Knicks in Free Agency
The newly-minted champion Bruce Brown will meet with the Knicks, Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers and the Dallas Mavericks at the start of the free agency, according to SNY’s Ian Begley.
Brown is coming off a stellar season on a bargain deal with the Denver Nuggets, helping them win their first NBA title in franchise history.
In 80 regular-season games, Brown averaged 11.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.4 assists. He became one of their important players in the playoffs, producing 12.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.9 assists.
Knicks Expected to Pursue James Harden
The Knicks and the Los Angeles Clippers are expected to pursue James Harden after the superstar guard opted into his $35.6 million player option, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The 33-year-old Harden is coming off his 10th All-Star season, averaging 21.0 points, and 6.1 rebounds while leading the NBA in assists with 10.7 per game.
New York would likely need to rope in a third team to supply a new sidekick for Embiid unless the Sixers already have a separate deal in place to use what could be a Knicks’ draft asset-centric package
If the Knicks successfully pull off a Harden trade, it will be interesting to watch how the 2018 MVP and the rising Jalen Brunson mesh in their backcourt.
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