2024 NBA Mock Draft 2.0: Hawks play it safe, Wizards go big, Spurs fill two needs
By Cal Durrett
12) Oklahoma City Thunder- Nikola Topic
After the young Oklahoma City Thunder made it all the way to the West semi-finals, they are likely more concerned with free agency than the draft. That being said, they have a chance to add talent to their already terrific core, which includes Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, and Jalen Williams. That may result in them drafting Nikola Topic.
Topic is considered to be among the best passers in the draft and at 6'6 he is also among the tallest point guards, though he will likely miss most of next season with an ACL tear. Adding Topic would also give the team positional size, with him being much taller than a traditional point guard, though he isn't considered to be a good defender. His shooting is also a question mark, though he took a lot of threes off the dribble, which is inherently a low percentage shot.
He'll have to be able to play off-ball, but that may be less of a concern than it's made out to be, especially with him shooting in the high 80s from the free throw line. Better still, the Thunder have shot-doctor Chip England, who has helped OKC become one of the best shooting teams in the NBA. He could help Topic become a key player on a rising team.