Obi Toppin has greatly improved as a three-point shooter during his time with the Indiana Pacers. However, having Toppin attempt three-point field goals often takes away his biggest strength, which is his athleticism. As Indiana looks to switch things up next season, they have a great opportunity to allow the Brooklyn native to play to his strengths and become an explosive rim attacker.
Nobody is saying that Toppin can't shoot threes. It's obvious that this is a valuable part of his game, and given how high-powered the Pacers' offense is, this versatility can only help. However, Toppin is not traditionally a three-point shooter, and as one of the most athletic players in the NBA, the team needs him to remind the league exactly how explosive he can be.
Recently, Tony East of the Locked On Pacers podcast said that, while Toppin is a solid three-point shooter, the team needs to determine exactly what they want out of him next season, especially considering how important it will be for them to optimize their shot selection.
"The big story of Obi Toppin's time with the Pacers has been the Pacers' player development machine turning him into a much better three-point shooter...However, think about Obi Toppin, right? No one is like, 'That's a shooter, yes. This guy should be shooting all the time'...between his growth as a shooter, with the Pacers' needs coming this year where optimizing every single shot is going to be fascinating, do the Pacers want that distance to keep elongating?" East said.
The Pacers are going to look different next year, and many players will be asked to step up. This will include Toppin, who should have a great opportunity to make another leap in Indiana.
Obi Toppin has become a legitimate contributor in Indiana
Indiana acquired Toppin from the New York Knicks for virtually nothing in 2023. Despite being a castaway, the Dayton alum has become a valuable asset for the Pacers, playing a big role in their recent playoff run.
Since joining the Pacers, Toppin has improved in every area of his game. He became a much better three-point shooter in Indiana, which may be his most notable development. However, he has also improved on defense and as a back-cutter, which is ultimately what might make him such an important part of the Pacers' roster.
Toppin has stepped up numerous times for the Pacers as well, and this was especially noticeable during the playoffs last season.
While Toppin will likely never be the best player on the court, that does not mean he doesn't provide a lot of value, and next year, he will be able to only add to his importance.
With Indiana's center situation next season looking grim following Myles Turner's departure, they will have a lot of decisions to make. As it stands, the Pacers currently have four centers rostered and will run a center-by-committee. While not ideal, this could work.
Though most eyes are on Isaiah Jackson, Jay Huff, and James Wiseman, a sneaky player to keep an eye on is Toppin. He has experience playing small-ball center, which he did numerous times for the Pacers last season, especially during clutch time. It is highly unlikely that Toppin is the answer to Indiana's center problems, but either way, he is going to be a key player to keep an eye on next season as his game could look very different.