It’s safe to say Josh Hart is going to need some time to get used to Obi Toppin’s new getup.
After three years with the Knicks, the forward was traded to the Pacers in early July and his former teammate Hart is already roasting Toppin.
Hart needed just one emoji — posted four times — along with a picture on Instagram to show his disgust for Toppin’s bright yellow Indiana Pacers shirt.
Toppin, who was drafted No. 8 overall by the Knicks in 2020, mostly disappointed over his tenure in New York, telling reporters on Sunday he wanted to put that chapter of his career behind him.
“All I can do is just do whatever the coach is asking me to do,” Toppin said during a Zoom call after he was traded to the Pacers for a pair of future second-round draft picks.
“Whether that’s being out on the floor, having great energy, doing whatever I need to do to help the team win. I didn’t get the minutes I wanted. But now it’s a new start. I’m here in Indy. I got to work for everything I want. And I’m super excited to start.”
Toppin, 24, averaged just 14.7 minutes and seven points in his career with the Knicks, failing to deliver on his sky-high potential, given his explosive athleticism.
The forward’s frustrations came to a head after a Game 4 playoff loss in Miami, in which Toppin sat the entire second half and reportedly got in a shouting match with head coach Tom Thibodeau following the game.
Hart, meanwhile, has ingratiated himself in the Knicks’ core after the Trail Blazers traded him to New York last season, serving as a spark plug and crucial role player in his time with the team.
He opted into his $12.9 million player option to stay with the Knicks and seems likely to come to an agreement on a contract extension in August.
