The Indiana Pacers seem confident in the group they have. This group made the Eastern Conference Finals when no one expected them to. Only a few people expected them to even make the playoffs. They very well could have made the NBA Finals had they been better at closing games against the Celtics.
Bringing back Pascal Siakam was the biggest priority for the Pacers during free agency. Once he was brought back on a max deal, they turned their attention to other ways to improve the roster. The other big free agent they had to make a decision on was Obi Toppin.
Toppin had his best season as a pro in his first year with Indiana. After getting him for just a second-round pick a year ago, he was fantastic. He set career-highs in almost every statistic. He is being rewarded for that with a shiny new contract worth a lot of money.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Toppin is coming back to Indiana on a four-year $60 million deal. This deal solidifies that Toppin is a core piece of the bench as he was this year. He will continue to back up Siakam and use his newfound shooting and his rim-running as the staples of his offensive game.
You can’t help but wonder what this deal means for Jarace Walker. The rookie hardly played this year. He was expected to be that wing player who has some defensive skills. Had Toppin walked in free agency, he was likely to slide into that backup four spot.
This deal could signal that the Pacers are more open to trading Walker than previously thought. Looking at the team right now, there’s no spot open for him in the rotation. Maybe Rick Carlisle leans more into playing small ball with the bench and that’s how Walker sees time.
Either way, it’s an interesting dynamic. Toppin gets the contract he deserves and the Pacers are happy to have him back.
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Publish date : 2024-06-30 14:50:37
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