The first half of the 2022-23 season has come to a close, meaning that soon enough, the Feb. 9 trade deadline will be here. The New York Knicks have been labeled as one of the more active trade teams in the league, which should come as no surprise.
Tom Thibodeau cut the team’s rotation down to nine, but a few injuries have opened up playing time for those who were initially left out of the rotation. Obi Toppin suffered a lower leg fracture in the win over the Hawks on Dec. 7, and for the first time since then, he was made available in Wednesday’s win over the Spurs. He didn’t play though, as he was listed as “situational” by Thibodeau.
While Toppin was out, Heavy’s Sean Deveney reported that according to an anonymous NBA executive, the Knicks engaged in talks with the Pacers in a trade that would send Toppin to Indiana. Whether that’s true or not, the 24-year-old will become extension eligible over the summer and has been stuck playing behind Julius Randle since he was drafted in 2020. It would sting to see Toppin leave, but the move would be understandable.
If this indeed is Obi Toppin’s final month as a Knick, let’s take a deeper look at three teams that he could be sent to ahead of the deadline.
3 teams that could trade for Knicks’ Obi Toppin ahead of Feb. 9 deadline
3: Washington Wizards
Unlike the Pacers, the Wizards are a team that could receive Obi Toppin in a trade package if Kyle Kuzma were to be sent to New York. This isn’t to say that the Knicks should trade for Kuzma but with the reports that have been floating around and the fact that he is represented by CAA, he’s a player to watch ahead of the deadline.
Washington’s two starting big men are Kristaps Porzingis and Daniel Gafford. The former is averaging 22.2 points in 35 games (close to his career-high 22.7 points in 48 games for New York in 2017-18), but as Knicks fans know all too well, Porzingis’ career has been plagued by injuries, so Toppin would give Washington additional depth. Porzingis also has a $36 million player option for 2023-24, so that’s of course something that the Wizards are well aware of.
Toppin was drafted a couple of years after Porzingis left New York, so a Toppin-Porzingis frontcourt would be interesting to see in action.
Kuzma’s having a career year, but at this point, it seems as if he’s all but gone. He has a $13 million player option next season and signs are pointing toward him entering free agency, so it’d be in Washington’s best interest to part with him ahead of the deadline. Toppin wouldn’t come in and give the Wizards the same production that Kuzma has this season, but the potential is there.
Regardless of how Knicks fans feel about the possibility of Kuzma in NYC, the Wizards are certainly a possible landing spot for Toppin.
2: Indiana Pacers
Given Deveney’s report that the Knicks have engaged in trade talks with the Pacers about Obi Toppin, putting Indiana on this list was an obvious choice. Whether or not New York has or has not spoken with Indiana, the Pacers would be a good fit for Toppin.
Indiana is going to be a team to watch leading up to the deadline due to the rumors that have been floating around Buddy Hield and Myles Turner. Many thought that one, or both, would be Lakers at this point in the season, but for the time being, Hield and Turner are still with the Pacers.
With Indiana on the verge of fully entering a rebuilding phase, the Pacers would be a good team for Toppin to end up on. Without a doubt, he’d get the minutes he deserves and would be able to solidify his role on a young Eastern Conference team. Imagine what Toppin would look like with Tyrese Haliburton in transition.
The question is what would New York get in return? With the Knicks looking to add to their draft capital, perhaps the Pacers would part with one of their first-round draft picks. The front office is still waiting to successfully pull off a trade for a long-awaited star, so additional draft compensation would be beneficial in that scenario.
Indiana has plenty of cap space, too. Paying Toppin wouldn’t be an issue for the Pacers, and given that he’s only 24, he could end up playing a key role on a young squad, just not the one in New York.
1: Chicago Bulls
It’s no secret that if Zach LaVine were to become available ahead of the trade deadline, the Knicks would be interested. If LaVine did wind up in New York, there’s a chance that Obi Toppin would be one of the players that the Knicks would send to the Bulls.
Chicago has maintained that it isn’t interested in dealing LaVine, but the reports about his supposed unhappiness with his role (subscription required) make a trade seem likelier. With the Bulls sitting toward the bottom of the Eastern Conference with a 17-21 record, there have been questions about whether Chicago should tear things apart or not.
If the Bulls and Knicks do end up engaging in trade talks for LaVine, Toppin would be an intriguing player for Chicago. Patrick Williams, who was also a lottery pick in 2020, hasn’t performed as hoped in the first half of his third season with the Bulls. Toppin not only would be a solid backup for Williams (if he isn’t traded) but he would perhaps be awarded the opportunity to take his place in the starting lineup. Unlike Williams, Toppin hasn’t been given a fair shot by the team that drafted him.
All of this hinges on whether or not the Bulls decide that they’re willing to listen to offers for LaVine. If he winds up staying in Chicago for the entirety of the season, then the idea of Toppin possibly being traded to the Bulls would be erased altogether.
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