Pacers will regret long-term deal with Obi Toppin unless this happens

The Pacers acquired Toppin from the New York Knicks in July 2023 for multiple second-round draft picks. Toppin had spent the first three seasons of his career with the Knicks after the team drafted him with the No. 8 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.

In his first season with Indiana, the former Knicks forward averaged 10.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game. Additionally, he appeared in all 82 games, starting 28 of them, and averaging 21.1 minutes per game. Toppin also shot 57.3% from the field and 40.3% from beyond the arc. All of these numbers were career highs for the New York native.

Re-signing Toppin was a big priority for the Pacers, and rightfully so. However, for the team to maximize Toppin’s potential, it is essential that they create more playing time for him. Though his 21.1 minutes per game is solid, it only ranked ninth on the team. This includes players like Buddy Hield and Bruce Brown, who were both traded during the regular season.

With power forward Pascal Siakam also committed to the team long-term, Toppin is unlikely to get a starting role with Indiana anytime soon. However, he has yet to hit his peak as an NBA player and should only grow from here. Increasing his minutes is important for Toppin’s growth individually and the Pacers’ as a unit.

Pacers GM Chad Buchanan was open about wanting Obi Toppin to stay with the team for the long haul

After Indiana’s playoff exit to the Boston Celtics, general manager Chad Buchanan spoke about hoping for Toppin to remain with the team past this summer.

“I think it was just a very, very good year for him. I think he felt he kind of found a home with us. He thought this might be a good spot for him and we got him got here. I think he really enjoyed the fans. He enjoyed the system. You know, his family seemed to be happy here as well. So can’t say enough good things about the type of season he had,” Buchanan said.

“He was our only player who played 83 games in the regular season, didn’t miss a playoff game either. So very, that’s a huge, huge deal in the NBA to not miss a game. We actually presented an award to him in his exit meeting for that. That’s a very, very big deal in our league and happy for him and all that he did for us this year. And like I said, hope he’s with us moving forward.”

The Pacers are aiming to build off their impressive 2023-24 season. With Toppin back in the mix, he will help to keep the team in playoff contention for the immediate future.