The result of the game is far from the only objective during the NBA Summer League.
A win is nice, sure, and the Oklahoma City Thunder secured its first win of the year by defeating the Philadelphia 76ers 89-78. Still, the development of high-level prospects is the most important thing that teams monitor. And even more important than the win, OKC’s pair of potential contributors, Ajay Mitchell and Nikola Topic, looked good.
Topic, playing in just his second game since returning from an ACL tear that cost him his rookie season, showed up in ways beyond the box score. His shooting percentage was dismal and he had two turnovers, but his ability to create takeaways on defense and thrive as a playmaker on offense made him leap off the screen. He ended up with 11 points, five assists and three rebounds, as well as three steals.
His 3-point shot is still a work in progress, but his shot looks clean, and he is a good free-throw shooter, which he displayed Monday night by going 7-of-8 from the charity stripe.
His scoring ability is his biggest weakness at this point, which is somewhat of a surprise due to the fact that Topic didn’t project to be a standout defensively before his ACL injury, not to mention after. But, he is very active in passing lanes and he put that on full display.
As a passer, he is everything OKC could’ve wanted. Like Josh Giddey, who many OKC fans have naturally compared Topic to, his gifts as a playmaker lead to questionable decisions at times, as evidenced by his seven-turnover debut against Memphis. But almost always, Topic has the right idea in mind and his ability to avoid what would be turnovers for most players while operating the pick-and-roll has been impressive through two games.
It’s unlikely that any rookie who isn’t Cooper Flagg or Dylan Harper could come in and make a real impact for OKC in the playoffs as it looks to repeat for the first time since the Golden State Warriors did it in 2016-17 and 2018-19, but some of what Topic brings could fill the holes that OKC had last season.
Against Indiana in the NBA Finals, OKC often reverted to an isolation-heavy offense, where either Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Jalen Williams would create a bucket for themselves.
With Topic in the fold, OKC has a player who looks to get others involved and sees two passes ahead, something the team lost when it traded Giddey, despite the undeniable success that the move to acquire Alex Caruso was. If he can turn into a plus shooter, which his touch around the rim and free throw numbers suggest he can, he could be the perfect complement to a lineup that includes Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams.
Of course, Topic has to prove it against NBA competition, and as I said before I don’t think OKC fans should expect to see him playing 20 minutes a game in the finals next season, but the pathway for Topic to become a vital part of OKC’s future is there if he can build upon his current skillset.
Topic was the story of the game, but Mitchell turned in a strong performance as well, scoring 16 points and rounding out his game with five assists and five rebounds.
He wasn’t as dominant as he was in OKC’s first Summer League game, but he still showed that he has all the creation skills that are to be expected out of a productive bench guard. He got to his spots at will, and his playmaking seems to have taken a step up from where it was prior to his injury last season.
No matter how you slice it, it was a good first two games for the two members of OKC’s summer league roster who are likely to have a place in the rotation next season.
Topic, despite being a guard, looks like he has the type of game that could be a perfect fit next to OKC’s Big 3 and Lu Dort if his shooting comes along to a passable level. And Mitchell looks like the kind of guy who can provide high-level minutes off the bench for a playoff team.
Most summer league conversations end up being forgotten quickly, but Topic and Mitchell have set the stage to become high-value members of OKC’s young, affordable core going forward.
