Knicks, Pacers discuss Obi Toppin trade

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Apr 5, 2023; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; New York Knicks forward Obi Toppin (1) drives against Indiana Pacers forward Jordan Nwora (13) during the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports / © Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports

The Knicks and Pacers have touched base recently to discuss trades involving Obi Toppin.

The Knicks are currently seeking draft compensation in any deal that sends Toppin to Indiana. When the new league year starts, the Pacers can absorb Toppin’s $6.8 million salary into its cap space. So the Knicks could trade Toppin without receiving a player in return.

This would allow the Knicks to trim $6.8 million from their 2023-24 salary totals.

Trimming that money could give the Knicks a financial cushion to use its non-tax payer mid-level exception without exceeding the luxury tax. The Knicks are pursuing at least two players who could command the non-taxpayer exception: Bruce Brown and Donte DiVincenzo.

Trading Toppin would also clear a spot in the Knicks’ nine-man rotation for any free agent they sign.

It’s unclear what kind of draft compensation the Knicks would seek from Indiana in a Toppin trade.

If the return is paltry, the trade will be the final stage in a wholly disappointing three-year stint for Toppin in New York.

The Knicks selected Toppin with the eighth overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft — team president Leon Rose’s first draft with New York.

At the time, teams in touch with the Knicks expected New York to pursue avenues to trade incumbent power forward Julius Randle over the course of the 2020-21 season.

Randle, though, played at an exceptional level that season. He earned a spot on the Eastern Conference All-Star team and All-NBA honors while leading the Knicks to the playoffs.

So Toppin, a Brooklyn native who played high school basketball in Westchester, received limited playing time in his rookie season.

Randle remained a focal point for the Knicks over the next two seasons; Toppin, in turn, played a mostly-limited role over those two seasons.

He’s played 14.7 minutes per game in his Knicks tenure.

If Toppin is moved to Indiana, he should have an…

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Author : SNY

Publish date : 2023-06-30 21:29:22

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