Does this trade make sense for Orlando Magic?
While they could probably get a slightly larger return for a player like Terrence Ross, the Orlando Magic should be more than happy to trade him to the Knicks because of the upside Obi Toppin can bring to this organization.
Jonathan Isaac is their starting power-forward and they do have a versatile forward in Chuma Okeke, but overall, Obi Toppin would get plenty of playing time in Orlando compared to what he would get in New York this upcoming year.
With Orlando rebuilding, their main goal is to not only continue to develop the young talents they have, but find ways to add other versatile talents to their roster and Toppin is just this kind of player.
The strides he has made the last year to improve his shooting from the perimeter and his ball-handling abilities is quite impressive, making the young power-forward a unique asset for a team like the Magic.
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At Dayton in college, Obi Toppin quickly made a name for himself during the 2019-20 season and ended up winning almost every single award you can win in college basketball. He was the Wooden Award winner, Naismith Award winner and the AP Player of the Year, making Toppin a very interesting NBA prospect.
At 23-years-old, Toppins’ upside is kind of limited, as he does not have “over-the-top” potential compared to other young players from his draft class, but he can definitely improve in both outside shooting and defense.
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If he is able to put the pieces together, there is no reason why Obi Toppin cannot be a legit two-way threat in this league at the power-forward position.
At this point, Orlando has nothing to lose by acquiring two young talents like they would from the Knicks, which is why this trade to move Terrence Ross would be smart for them. They would free up cap space heading into next season and have Obi Toppin under-contract through the 2023-24 season, giving them leverage in the forward’s future.
