It would not be the popular choice, but the Indiana Pacers may have to trade Obi Toppin as soon as next season.
For much of the last season, Toppin was a popular trade candidate, and rightfully so. He is on a very tradable contract, but his value is also the highest it has ever been. The New York native has looked fantastic since joining the Pacers and has rightfully become one of their key bench players. However, there are some negatives to keeping him around, and the team will have to face that soon enough.
While Toppin is great, he turned 27 years old in March, and his ceiling is not too high. Furthermore, his presence on the team is directly impacting Jarace Walker's growth, which has been stunted due to inconsistent minutes during his career so far.
Toppin has three years remaining on his four-year, $58 million deal. By all means, he is worth that and then some. However, as the Pacers look towards the future and remaining under the luxury tax, trading him may be inevitable.
Trading Obi Toppin would open the door for the Pacers' younger guys
If the Pacers opt to move Toppin, two players on the team would greatly benefit from it--Walker and Bennedict Mathurin.
Walker's case is an obvious one. Trading Toppin would clear up some of the logjam at forward for the Pacers, and it would give the Houston alum more chances to see the court. His skillset is completely different from Toppin's, but that does not immediately mean he could not be just as valuable, if not more. It is also easy to forget that Walker is not even 22 years old yet, and his ceiling is much higher than Toppin's.
As for Mathurin, it all comes down to his future. He is still going to get his opportunities regardless of whether the Dayton alum is on the team or not. However, whether the Pacers will keep him around long-term or not is a different story.
The Canadian native is eligible for a contract extension this summer, but it looks like Indiana may opt to have him play next season out and showcase his worth. If he establishes himself as a long-term contributor with the team, they may have no choice but to sign him to a new deal. Doing so would move them much closer to the luxury tax, which is something they have avoided for two decades. If this remains the Pacers' priority, Toppin may be the odd man out.
Toppin has excelled in Indiana, and he has proven his value multiple times. However, as the Pacers look to remain title contenders for the long haul, they may have no choice but to trade him at some point down the line.