Nikola Topic may have just found the opening he needed.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has reportedly spent the summer working on his off-ball game, and Team Canada Senior Men's Basketball head coach Gordie Herbert thinks that could make the two-time MVP even "tougher to guard." For Oklahoma City, that kind of wrinkle should make the offense less predictable. For Topic, it could mean something even bigger.
The 20-year-old is already viewed as the Thunder’s best natural passer, and he backed that up in his first active season in the association by posting 13.3 assists per 100 possessions in 2025-26. He also flashed that playmaking touch when he got two straight starts to finish the regular season, handing out 11 assists in one game and 14 in the next.
Topic was already expected to have a path to more minutes this coming year after the departures of Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins, and Lu Dort from the backcourt mix. But if Gilgeous-Alexander is truly looking to get more help as a scorer without the ball, that could open the door even wider for the young guard.
The timing matters, too. Once 2026-27 begins, Topic will officially be in his third year, which makes him eligible for a fourth-year team option and a contract extension. That’s where things get complicated.
Because of the torn ACL he dealt with when he entered the league, plus the testicular cancer diagnosis and recovery that cut into this past season, Topic has appeared in only 10 games for the varsity team. He came into the NBA as a lottery pick with one of the most respected prospect profiles in the 2024 class, but he still remains something of a mystery at the pro level.
And with Oklahoma City working on a tight budget, a $7.48 million fourth-year commitment and an even larger extension would be a serious bet on a player who hasn’t had much game action yet.
Still, with the Thunder’s summer moves and Gilgeous-Alexander’s push to do more damage off the ball, the moment may be lining up perfectly for Topic. The chance is there. Now he has to make it count.
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