Mavericks nearly stole Pacers' NBA Finals hero in beautiful trade

In just over 12 hours, the 20th Game 7 in NBA Finals history will tip off in Oklahoma City, as the Indiana Pacers battle the Thunder to try to secure their first NBA Finals win in franchise history. While Dallas Mavericks fans have been distraught during the 2025 NBA Playoffs due to their thinking that Dallas would have had a great shot at returning to the Finals if they had kept Luka Doncic, another reason to be annoyed about these playoffs is lurking in the shadows.

Obi Toppin has been spectacular for the Pacers during the Finals, as he is averaging 12.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game while shooting 48.3 percent from the field and 39.4 percent from downtown in the series, and he nearly became a Maverick just a few months ago.

Before Nico Harrison made the Doncic trade in February, Dallas explored a trade that would have sent Maxi Kleber to the Pacers and Toppin to the Mavs. While the exact parameters of the trade are unclear, adding Toppin to this core would have been an outstanding move, and it could have changed the entire course of the playoffs for Indiana when it comes to how far they would have gone.

Mavericks were in talks to trade for Obi Toppin

Toppin has been a staple for the Pacers in the playoffs due to his 3-point shooting, competitiveness, tenacity, and high-flying slams, and he has been everything that Indiana has needed and more.

Whether that is hitting a timely shot from the corner, cutting to the rim and finishing with a ferocious slam, or getting under the Thunder's skin, Toppin has done his part. Every playoff team needs a player like Toppin, and imagining him on the Mavericks will make fans sick to their stomachs.

He is the exact type of big the Mavericks need right now, as their lack of floor spacing was evident down the stretch of last season, and he is the type of player that Mavs fans would have fallen in love with right away. His effort on the glass, fiery personality, and freakish athleticism would have had the American Airlines Center on its feet constantly.

While a Toppin trade likely wouldn't have stopped the Doncic trade from going down, it would have given them a great piece to contribute to Harrison's goal of winning a title right now. Toppin is 27 years old, and with him being under contract for three more seasons after this one, the Mavs would have had a great stretch four to come off their bench and bring energy within that second unit.

Toppin would have been incredibly fun to watch playing next to Kyrie Irving, especially in transition due to Toppin's ability as a jumper and dunker, and assuming the Mavericks still traded for Anthony Davis, he would have given the Mavericks a floor spacer to play next to Davis (while Davis is at the five).

Upgrading from Kleber to Toppin would have been a great move for Harrison and the Mavs, and Dallas not replacing Kleber after the trade deadline definitely hurt them. They were cycling through bigs left and right for that final stretch of the season, and while Toppin isn't a five like Kleber, he would have been a great Maverick.