Knicks' Obi Toppin Trade 'Wildly Disappointing'

Obi Toppin was traded by the New York Knicks to the Indiana Pacers earlier this month.

The New York Knicks have had a decent offseason, as they've kept their core together to make another run in the playoffs, one they hope goes deeper than this year's second-round exit.

There haven't been too many lows to speak of, but, if there was one that stands out, it would be trading Obi Toppin to the Indiana Pacers for two second-round picks.

"Dumping Toppin on the Pacers for a pair of future second-round picks helped keep the Knicks under the luxury tax line," Bleacher Report's Greg Swartz wrote of the trade when discussing the Knicks' biggest loss of the offseason. "This was a wildly disappointing end to the No. 8 overall pick's tenure in New York."

Toppin had potential to be the Knicks' future power forward, but the rise of Julius Randle created a logjam in the frontcourt. Head coach Tom Thibodeau apparently didn't know how to deal with it other than reducing the former Dayton Flyer's playing time.

With Toppin gone, there's no immediate solution as to who will take his minutes at the power forward spot. The team signed Donte DiVincenzo, but he's a little small compared to Toppin. New York can roll out a smaller lineup, but there will be some mismatches against some longer teams. They  could give someone currently on their Summer League roster like Isaiah Roby or rookie Jaylen Martin a shot, but neither is a guarantee to be ready to contribute for a contender ... or even make the opening night ledger.

Ultimately, trading Toppin was necessary, but getting such little in return for him could come back to bite the Knicks in an otherwise hopeful future.

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