Nikola Topic Fits the OKC Thunder Draft Strategy

Rookie Nikola Topic won’t play in the upcoming season, but that works just fine for Oklahoma City.

Nikola Topic stands with Thunder general manager Sam Presti during an introductory press conference for the 2024 Thunder draft picks at Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center in Oklahoma City, Saturday, June, 29, 2024. / SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

Nikola Topic was one of the more polarizing players in the 2024 NBA Draft, getting off to a white-hot start in the Adriatic league, before seeing a few injuries derail his momentum.

Despite being lauded as a top-five talent for most of the cycle, he fell to No. 12 on draft night, landing in the open arms of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

At surface level, the pick was an odd one for OKC, who already has an abundance of guards in MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, as well as Cason Wallace, Isaiah Joe, Luguentz Dort and the recently-added Alex Caruso. But a closer look at the team’s strategy shows that things worked out perfectly on their end.

Armed with a top-five talent in the NBA, along with its war chest of future draft picks, the Thunder aim to stay afloat as a contender in the West for years to come. And backfilling its roster with developmental draftees is a large part of that.

In Topic’s case, specifically, Oklahoma City got who they likely believed to be a top player in the draft as the cheaper cost of the No. 12 pick. Regardless of injury, Topic likely couldn’t have cracked the team’s sturdy rotation in Year 1, and now he’ll have ample time to heal, learn and develop in the team’s system before rolling out in a few years.

The Thunder have a proven track record of developing young players into contributors, and even stars. But if things don’t work out, he’ll retain value on the trade market as a young and moldable guard, a la Josh Giddey. And getting return on the trade market can be similarly valuable to on-court production.

As OKC continues to use their draft selections in the next few drafts, look for them to continue to backfill their roster with project-style players that can make a difference down the line.

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