Restricted free agent Pacers energy ahead Obi Toppin intends to signal a four-year, $60M contract to remain in Indiana, sources inform Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
As Wojnarowski notes, the 6-foot-9 Dayton alum emerged as a essential bench contributor for a Pacers membership that superior all the best way to the Japanese Convention Finals this previous spring for the primary time in a decade.
The eighth general decide within the 2020 draft, Toppin was traded from New York to Indiana a 12 months in the past in trade for a pair of second-round picks after he spent his first three skilled seasons with the Knicks. In his first 12 months as a Pacer, the 26-year-old set new profession highs in factors (10.3), rebounds (3.9), and assists (1.6) per sport, in addition to discipline purpose proportion (57.3%) and three-point proportion (40.3%).
With tentative offers in place for Pascal Siakam (4 years, most wage) and Toppin, the Pacers’ group wage for 2024-25 initiatives to be about $6.4M under the posh tax line with at the very least two roster spots nonetheless to be crammed, tweets cap knowledgeable Yossi Gozlan.
Whereas it’s technically attainable for the Pacers to make use of their full mid-level exception and keep under the primary tax apron, doing so would make them a taxpayer, in order that’s unlikely. It additionally stays to be seen whether or not the group may have room below the tax to convey again free agent huge man Jalen Smith on a brand new deal after he opted out of his contract on Saturday. After all, a cost-cutting transfer to create extra spending flexibility is all the time a chance.
Toppin had been the No. 27 participant on our listing of this summer season’s high 50 free brokers.
