What to Watch for in OKC Thunder Summer League

1) Nikola Topic

Everyone will turn their attention to Nikola Topic, the No. 12 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft who held top-five value before suffering an ACL tear just before the Draft to force a tumble in the first-round.

Topic will step on the floor for the Oklahoma City Thunder for the first time on Saturday in Salt Lake City. While no amount of disclaimers will stop any overreactions –– good and bad –– it is important to note that it is just one game.

However, the actualized version of Topic as a playmaker for Oklahoma City can bolster the defending champions. How he performs in the Summer League will feed offseason fodder until the Bricktown ballers report for training camp in October.

2) Ajay Mitchell

Every year a player only needs a game, sometimes a half, to prove they are too good for Summer League. It is dubbed around basketball circles as "graduation." Mitchell is primed to be that player for Oklahoma City.

If he repeats his elite-level defensive showing, his 38% mark as a catch-and-shoot option, his high-level rim-finishing and eye-catching playmaking all of which he displayed in the NBA regular season as a two-way rookie before suffering a toe injury in January.

Mitchell was rewarded this offseason with a long-term contract to remain on one of the Thunder's 15 standard contract spots after being converted halfway through the season this past winter. Now a second-year guard, the UC Santa Barbara product has a chance to continue to impress.

3) Brooks Barnhizer

The Oklahoma City Thunder selected Barnhizer with the no. 44 pick in the NBA Draft with a well-known love for the gritty swingman. His defense should shine in the Summer League with his elite motor and competitiveness.

Barnhizer has shown an ability to pitch in offensively on the ball and in the mid-range. However, his likely role on that end of the floor in Oklahoma City is as an off-ball play-finisher. How does he look cutting to the basket and finishing plays at the rim? What does his jump shot look like in catch-and-shoot chances? These will be under the microscope for Barnhizer as a player who will also need to be a connective playmaker, a trait he already possesses.

Oklahoma City will gain its first look at the rookie on Saturday against the Memphis Grizzlies in the Salt Lake City Summer League.

4) Branden Carlson and Alex Ducas

Carlson was issued a qualifying offer to land him as a restricted free agent this summer and signal a possible return for him on a two-way deal with Oklahoma City. The seven-footer showed more than just flashes at the NBA level while the Thunder navigated front-court injuries and was consistently a force for the OKC Blue in the G League –– the perfect two-way option. It is no surprise that he is expected to dominate the Summer League and be one of the most fun players to watch.

Ducas on the other hand dealt with injuries himself starting in the 2024 Summer League which lingered into the season bouncing him on and mostly off the floor even at the G League level. His defense stood out when he could play and how far along he is as a play-finisher offensively will go a long way in determining his future. Hopefully for Ducas, a healthy Summer League gains him another chance to prove himself with production starting in Salt Lake City.

5) Can anyone stand out?

Every year in Summer League players pop unexpectedly. Perhaps it is just enough to get a training camp invite and a trip to the NBA G League, at times, it is enough for a two-way contract. Very rarely is it enough to make the jump to a standard roster spot.

The Oklahoma City Thunder, as of now, have two open two-way pacts with only Barnhizer officially taking up a spot. However, the writing is on the way for a Carlson return to a two-way contract after the Thunder made him a restricted free agent this offseason. That leaves one spot though, a coveted contract with a great developmental organization. While it isn't for sure up for grabs during the Summer League, a great showing could change plans.

Erik Reynolds II is one of the most interesting names not under contract in this Summer League for the Thunder. While he is slight of frame, Reynolds II is a prolific scorer. With a crowded rotation and a championship roster returning nearly intact, this two-way spot will be more about the OKC Blue.

If Reynolds II can continue to light up the scoreboard on the offensive end, while being a competitive defender, he makes himself worth taking a look at not only for Oklahoma City but 29 other teams on such a deal.

Cameron Brown put up a solid season with the OKC Blue a year ago, earning the trust of G League coach Kameron Woods. Brown is back with the Thunder for the summer league still working to move up the ladder. Brown's defense isn't in question but he has to display a larger impact offensively, knocking down open triples and capitalizing on cuts to move the scoreboard in the right direction. If the G League guard can make that improvement, he becomes a more viable option.

Jazian Gortman was stellar for the Texas Legends a year ago on a two-way contract for the Dallas Mavericks. Gortman averaged nearly 19 points, four rebounds, two steals and a block per game while shooting 44% from the floor, 26% from deep and 81% at the charity stripe.

Gortman handled pick-and-roll duties well at nearly a point per possession with high-level rim pressure and breathtaking layups to avoid defenses.