The New York Knicks are finalizing trade to send forward Obi Toppin to the Indiana Pacers for two future second-round picks, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Saturday.
The deal gives Toppin an opportunity to play a more significant role in Indiana and stacks up more draft assets for New York.
Toppin, 25, was selected with the eighth overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft and averaged 7.4 points and 2.8 rebounds last season, his third in the league. The 6-foot-9 forward has shown flashes of potential throughout his career but has struggled to get consistent minutes on a Knicks team focused on winning in the immediate future.
Toppin had his best game of last season against the Pacers in the regular-season finale, after starting the final five games following Julius Randle ‘s sprained ankle. Toppin scored a season-high 34 points and tied his season-best with seven rebounds in that loss.
Toppin projects to be a strong fit in Indiana, which logged the most shots in transition of any team in the NBA last season, per Second Spectrum. Toppin’s 75.1% effective field goal percentage in transition over the last two seasons was the best in the league (minimum 150 shots). Second and third on that list are his new teammates Tyrese Haliburton and Bruce Brown.
Toppin’s $6.8 million salary will go into the Pacers’ cap space while New York creates a $6.8 million trade exception, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks. Toppin is eligible to sign a rookie extension until Oct. 23.
The trade can’t be completed until Thursday, when teams can officially sign free agents.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
