OKC Thunder Rookie Included in ‘Top 10 NBA Trade Chips’ List

For years, Oklahoma City’s draft picks and prospects were a hot top of debate on the NBA trade market. It was always clear that the Thunder could blow any team out of the water with a trade offer, the godfather offer, if ever needed. But years of tireless debates and roster fit questions led to nothing, as Oklahoma City never needed an earth-shattering addition via trade after all.

The Thunder won a championship with mostly its internal core that was developed over the last three years. Of course, Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso pushed the team over the top, but it was never a blockbuster trade that was needed. The Thunder carved a rare path and it brought them the first NBA championship trophy in franchise history.

Now, Oklahoma City is in a unique spot. The roster is in tact, and all signs point to this team trying to run it back for a second straight championship. There’s not a whole lot of questions heading into the season. But with the CBA and Oklahoma City’s suddenly expensive roster, the questions point to the future.

In Bleacher Report’s latest article, a surprising Thunder addition was listed in a ranking of the NBA’s top trade chips right now. Nikola Topic hasn’t played a regular season game for the Thunder yet, but he’s still coveted around the league.

“Nikola Topić hasn't logged a second of regular-season action since the Thunder made him the 12th overall pick of the 2024 draft,” Zach Buckley wrote. “And in a weird way, that's maybe a good thing in terms of building his intrigue on the trade block.

“Since his would-be rookie run was erased by an ACL injury, he carries some clear mystery-box allure. Rival front offices can fully focus on his ceiling (and it's a towering one) without any obvious on-court reasons to worry about his ability to reach it.”

While his game is certainly still unknown for the most part, Summer League had to have raised his value. Topic looked like the lottery pick he was advertised to be with skills that you can’t teach.

“And if you're only looking at the positives with Topić, there's some truly jaw-dropping stuff,” Buckley wrote. “He's a 6'6" primary playmaker who understands how to consistently create advantages for himself and his teammates—as a 19-year-old. He could wind up as the best player in his draft class, and that's how the Thunder should try to market him if they ever deem it necessary to make an all-in push.”

The thing about those special skills that Topic possesses, though, is that they’re the perfect fit for Oklahoma City’s system. It was easy to watch the Thunder’s summer league squad play and see right where Topic would fit into the team’s scheme on both ends of the floor. He’s a connector, a true ball-handler, and loves to operate the pick-and-roll — which is exactly what this Thunder team could use.

He’d certainly be a valuable trade piece for many teams around the league, but what if Oklahoma City simply doesn’t have to trade him. After standing pat with a treasure chest of assets and building internally, the Thunder’s direction has been clear from the beginning. Now with a title under their belt, it would be a surprise to see things change in a big way now.