Knicks Trade Rumors: Pacers 'Leading' Suitor for Obi Toppin; NYK Seeks Draft Picks

The Indiana Pacers are reportedly considered a "leading" suitor to trade for New York Knicks forward Obi Toppin.

NBA insider Marc Stein reported the talks ahead of Friday's 6 p.m. ET start to free agency. It's unclear if the Knicks are actively shopping Toppin, who was the No. 8 overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft.

Ian Begley of SNY reported the Knicks would seek draft pick compensation from the Pacers in a potential deal.

The Dayton product has played a limited role over his first three NBA seasons, never averaging more than 17.1 minutes per game. He averaged 7.4 points and 2.8 rebounds while shooting 44.6 percent from the floor.

After continually working on his jumper over the last few seasons, Toppin hit 34.4 percent of his threes last season. Along with the emerging three ball, he's also an excellent athlete and lob threat near the rim.

The Knicks owe Toppin $6.8 million next season, the final year of his rookie contract. He is eligible for an extension between the start of free agency and the beginning of the 2023-24 season.

The Pacers are expected to be aggressive in adding to their 3-4 positions this summer. Indiana is armed with a projected $32.2 million in cap space to fill out a burgeoning roster.

Toppin would make an interesting alley-oop partner with emerging point guard Tyrese Haliburton, who has emerged as one of the best young passers in the league.