Earlier in the offseason, there was a case to be made that OKC Thunder guard Nikola Topic could realistically struggle to carve out a regular spot within coach Mark Daigneault's rotation in 2025-26 due, primarily, to the club's overflowing backcourt depth.
From established cornerstones like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort to promising young talents in Aaron Wiggins, Cason Wallace, and Ajay Mitchell, the guard position is well stocked out in Oklahoma City.
However, as the summer has rolled along, confidence in the 20-year-old's potential to see consistent on-court action in year one seems to be growing, with Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley predicting that, despite their lack of need for more backcourt prospects, Topic "will push for a rotation spot, anyway.