The Thunder are bringing Nikola Topic back up from the NBA G League, and that opens the door for him to be available Friday night against the LA Clippers in NBA Cup play.
If Topic gets into the game, it would be his first appearance of the 2026-27 season. More importantly, it would mark the first time in his three-year NBA run that Oklahoma City actually needs him to deliver.
Since the Thunder took him 12th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, Topic has been treated like a long-term project with real upside. That was possible because Oklahoma City had the luxury of patience. The roster was stacked with star power and young talent, deep enough to go 13 men strong even with Topic out of the picture.
That cushion is gone now. The Thunder have been hit hard by injuries and head into the matchup without three regular starters: Jalen Williams (ankle), Chet Holmgren (knee), and Cason Wallace (shoulder). In all, five players have already been ruled out for the game against Los Angeles.
The timing could hardly be more urgent. Oklahoma City looked short-handed in its latest loss to the Trail Blazers, and the Thunder need more NBA-caliber help around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander if they want to steady things.
That’s why Topic may not just be active Friday - he may be asked to matter. Mark Daigneault could lean on him for real minutes as Oklahoma City tries to end a two-game losing streak.
The early returns on Topic have been encouraging whenever the Thunder have given him extended run. In 10 career games with OKC, he’s averaged 5.2 points, 4.4 assists, and 1.9 rebounds in 16.0 minutes per game.
His most eye-catching stretch came late last season, when Daigneault rested much of the regular rotation before the playoffs and Topic drew two spot starts. In those games, he averaged 16.0 points, 12.5 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.0 steals while shooting 50.0 percent from the field and 50.0 percent from 3-point range.
That’s the version of Topic Oklahoma City has been waiting to see more often. He entered the league with top-five-pick buzz before tearing his ACL ahead of the draft, and the flashes have shown why.
Now the circumstances are different. This time, the Thunder aren’t looking at Topic as a late-season curiosity or a garbage-time spark. They may need him right away to help keep the team afloat early in the 2026-27 season.
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