Pacers Predicted to Part With Obi Toppin For $70M Guard

The Indiana Pacers have some work to do if they want to be seen as legitimate title contenders.

With a pair of routs during the NBA Paris Games — losing by 30 and two days later winning by 38 — the Pacers are now at 24-20 which is good for the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference.

At 8-2 in the last 10 matchups, the Pacers are certainly doing something right, but to compete with the top-tier of NBA talent come playoff time, a roster edit or two might be necessary.

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A name that has been thrown around is rotational piece Obi Toppin.

Continuing his solid play from last season, Toppin is putting up 10 points and four rebounds per game on 54 percent shooting during his second season in Indiana.

The 26-year-old has recently been predicted to get dealt before the Feb. 6 trade deadline in exchange for another bench piece.

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Pacers receive: Grayson Allen

Suns receive: Obi Toppin

The Phoenix Suns are in a similar position to Indiana as they see themselves as contenders, despite being the No. 8 seed in a stacked Western Conference. This can be a mutually beneficial trade.

Allen is a three-point specialist leading the NBA in three-point percentage last year with a 46 percent average. Putting up 10.9 points per game, he can be a similar scoring presence to Toppin but with the ability to spread the floor in a more efficient way.

Indiana is also 20th in the league in total three-pointers made per game this season and would love to have a deep threat on the bench in Allen.

Although it would be hard to part ways with Toppin, making a trade now may be the best time to do it given his current value. Additionally, there are a lot of forwards on the Pacers roster, and making this trade gives more opportunity to others to get minutes while adding a piece that makes them more of a contender.

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