The Indiana Pacers had one of the best benches in the NBA. It was actually the highest-scoring second unit in the league. They had plenty of players who were able to put the ball in the hoop at a high level. Most of those guys had the best year of their careers.
Obi Toppin is one of those players. Toppin was traded to the Pacers for a second-round pick before the season started. He was expected to be the starting power forward all year long. Once Indiana brought in Pascal Siakam midway through the season, he moved to the bench.
That seemed to make Toppin even more effective. He finished the season averaging 10.3 points per game and shot over 40% from three. He picked an incredible time to play this well. Now, he's a free-agent who could be looking to cash in. He deserves to try and get the most money he can.
What would it cost the Pacers to bring Obi Toppin back?
Indiana has expressed interest in bringing Toppin back for the right price. The question is, what is that price? How much would it cost them to bring him back? What's a reasonable number for them to consider when it comes to keeping him back on the bench?
If the Pacers want to bring him back, they would likely only be able to offer him a three-year $30 million deal. They could be in a financial crunch coming up in a few years with what they have committed to both Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam. They also might be offering Andrew Nembhard a contract extension and will be retaining T.J. McConnell.
Would Toppin try to get something more from somewhere else? Is he happy being a bench player when he just had a career-year? Those are questions that we don't know the answer to. He should try to get the most money he can from a team that is a contender to win next season.
The Pacers will bring Toppin back only if the price is right. Otherwise, they will likely let him walk. They could also sign and trade him. They have another week to figure that out.