Obi Toppin Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Knicks trade away former top-10 draft pick

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated 7/1/23

Three years after making Obi Toppin a top-10 pick in the NBA Draft, the New York Knicks are giving up on him.

The Knicks are trading Toppin to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for two second-round picks, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Knicks are finalizing trade to send F Obi Toppin to the Pacers for two future second-round picks, sources tell ESPN. Deal gives Toppin an opportunity to play a more significant role in Indiana and stacks up more draft assets for New York. Deal can’t be completed until Thursday. pic.twitter.com/suJPu8dXyM

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2023

The Pacers will get a chance to see what Toppin has to offer for a year before he becomes eligible for restricted free agency. The former Dayton star never carved out a real role for himself under Tom Thibodeau, averaging a modest 14.7 minutes per game over his three seasons with the Knicks. He appeared to fall out with his coach this past season over that lack of a role, which made a move almost inevitable.

Indiana is buying low on a former top prospect as they look to rebound from last year’s 35-47 campaign. They have been very busy to start the offseason and handed out one of the more noteworthy contracts of free agency thus far.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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