Indiana Pacers Reportedly Exploring Possible Deal For Injured Forward Obi Toppin

The Indiana Pacers are in rebuild mode but based on their performance, this may not stop them from acquiring more pieces from other teams.

One player reportedly on the radar of the Knicks is Obi Toppin. The 24-year-old cager sustained a knee injury last Dec. 7, a win over the Atlanta Hawks.

He was originally given two to three weeks to return. However, no less than 6-foot-9 cager said that there is no timetable on when he could return.

"We’ve been progressing, getting better. But there isn’t a timetable on when I’ll be back," Toppin said, per the New York Post. "We’re just taking it day-by-day, getting better every single day and working on things."

Regardless, returning to the Knicks roster and getting fair minutes may be hard to envision for Toppin. For one, head coach Tom Thibodeau appears to have gotten a lot from Julius Randle at power forward.

Hence a Toppin return would be daunting, meaning he will not only have to get back in himself back to form but also need to prove that he deserves playing minutes.

With that said, Toppin could be of better use to the Pacers. But considering his health status, he may be more of an investment moving forward.

The Pacers are thriving with players like Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield, Myles Turner and Aaron Nesmith. But of that mix, Hield and Turner have been embroiled in trade rumors as well.

Further, Nesmith is holding up at power forward so adding someone like Toppin could make sense. He is athletic and tough, added muscle that the Pacers could use moving forward.

According to Sean Deveney of Heavy, an unnamed executive claims that the Knicks and Pacers have engaged in talks for Toppin. The 8th overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft could get better opportunities if this deal does happen.

However, the question in the air right now is what would convince the Knicks to agree to a deal involving Toppin. The Pacers do own the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers’ 2023 first-round picks but it remains unclear if Indiana is ready to give up these assets.