Where Does Nikola Topic Fit Into OKC Thunder Backcourt Picture in 2026-27?

The Thunder have an interesting situation in the backcourt going into next season.

Apr 12, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Nikola Topic (44) drives around Phoenix Suns guard Jamaree Bouyea (17) during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Oklahoma City hasn’t seen much of its 2024 lottery pick, but that could change next season.

The offseason is here, and the Thunder will soon begin making deals and changing up the roster a bit for their next try at an NBA title in 2027. While it’s impossible to say how the long-term future of Cason Wallace will look or the immediate futures of guys like Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins, the Thunder’s backcourt situation appears to mostly be set for next season.

Of course, with a couple of first-round picks to use, that could change over the next few days, but most of the smoke related to the Thunder’s draft plans has featured frontcourt players. While the roster might not change much, the backcourt picture should still look a bit different next season with Nikola Topic ideally getting a chance to show his skills.

After a torn ACL and cancer kept him out for most of his first two NBA seasons, he will be sidelined for most of this offseason as well after having back surgery. Still, the hope is that Topic will be ready to go when next season begins, and he may finally get a chance to compete for backcourt minutes.

However, that task won’t be an easy one if the Thunder are healthy. Even if the Thunder let Lu Dort walk and throw Cason Wallace into the starting lineup, the fight for minutes behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Wallace will be fierce. 

Alex Caruso’s regular season role will likely help Topic’s case to find consistent minutes, but he’ll also have to find a way to get on the floor over a couple of key young players. Off the bench for Oklahoma City, Ajay Mitchell and Jared McCain will enter next season as two of the most intriguing players on the roster.

With both potentially poised to make a leap next season, the thought of Topic getting minutes over either in a breakout campaign is unrealistic. Yet, Topic’s standing in the backcourt hierarchy may not be a significant hindrance to his ability to get on the floor. 

Mark Daigneault has always been willing to experiment in the regular season, and he always has interest in seeing what he has at his disposal for later in the year. For a contending team, Topic might not have the ability to play long stretches and work through his mistakes like a player in his situation typically would, but he should at least be able to get on the floor.