New York Knicks trade with Indiana Pacers already coming back to haunt them in Eastern Conference Finals

Knicks traded Obi Toppin to Indiana

In 2023, Obi Toppin was nearing the end of his rookie contract with the New York Knicks and had not yet lived up to the hype. Picked eighth overall in 2020 after winning the NCAA Player of the Year Award with the Dayton Flyers, he averaged just seven points per game for the Knicks in three seasons, shooting 32.5% from 3-point range.

In Indiana, he has upped his scoring average to ten points per game, mostly off the bench, and has become one of the more reliable shooters on the roster.

On top of his scoring, he has improved his rebounding, assists, and overall field goal percentage in Indiana and is a legitimate NBA rotation player on one of the best teams in the league.

The Knicks, knowing they wouldn’t extend him when his rookie contract was up, let him go for two protected second-round picks in 2028 and 2030.

Toppin is filling New York with regret

While Toppin is far from a star, he represents the one thing the Knicks don’t have: depth. Under Tom Thibodeau, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Jalen Brunson are all in the top 15 of minutes played per game, and Hart and Anunoby led the league in total minutes.

With Toppin behind them in the depth chart, the starters would be able to stay fresh for longer.

Toppin hasn’t been a world-beater against the Knicks since the trade, but he has been consistent enough to help Indiana beat New York in the second round last season and take a 1-0 lead in the Conference Finals this season.

For just two second-round picks, which won’t even convey during the Knicks’ or Pacers’ title window, it’s safe to say that the Pacers won the trade, and there is a chance the Knicks would have won easily in Game 1 with Toppin on their bench instead of having to face off against him.