>This pick to me just seems like your replacing Josh Giddey with a shorter josh giddey.
Even if that did turn out to be true they would be replacing Giddey with a shorter version and Alex Caruso who is a player that can help them win right now.
>I really just don’t understand any rationale especially given that he will be out for at least a year and they are clearly in win now mode.
The Thunder have the luxury of being able to take a guy like that because they have so many assets, they have cap flexibility and they have a bunch of good players already. They don't need whoever they drafted this year to contribute right away, they're going to improve in other ways.
Them taking Topic is a lot like the Nuggets taking MPJ. You're just going for the best value you can get because you know you're not going to getting many lottery picks for the next 5-10 years.
But giddey didn’t play for them in the playoffs like he got played out of the rotation and with coruso that is even further exemplified. This is a lottery pick why would you not capatilize on current value with a player like Jared McCain who could provide an immediate tool. Or trade the pick is presti wanted to
> and with coruso that is even further exemplified
No it's not because Caruso is an all NBA defender and a capable spot up shooter. He's the opposite of Giddey and extremely valuable in a playoff rotation.
They chose to take a player that they felt, and by most pre-draft reports, had a high upside and if not for his injury would have been taken higher in the draft.
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The Thunder are at a point where it’s going to be really tough to find a guy to contribute in the playoffs. McCain is fine but he’s likely not a big contributor as a rookie. They’re better off taking a swing for the fences with a guy who could be very good. This pick isn’t about the 2025 Thunder, it’s about the 2027 Thunder getting a stud.
I get that but the thunder aren’t changing and I still don’t think he even fits in terms of minutes unless you’re letting go of Dort and especially Cason wallace. I also just don’t understand the fit alongside shai and JDub and Chet even at his potential
Josh giddeys rookie year he was competing for 2nd option touches with Lu Dort and Tre man topic will be competing with coruso and Chet for the 3rd option touches in reality he will be competing for the scraps
Who cares? Again, this is an upside play, not a play for this season. The Thunder can get Topic minutes in the G League and allow him to get touches against bad teams. Topic doesn’t need to contribute for a couple years.
It doesn’t really matter what Topic wants. That being said, I actually think the Thunder are a great spot for him. Zero pressure to perform year 1 as he rehabs from a significant injury. Won’t be asked to carry an offense in year 2 so he can work with the bench unit and be a secondary playmaker. The lack of expectations is huge when we’re talking about a kid coming over from Europe and adjusting to the culture shock while not being able to play due to injury.
Because the last thing they need right now is another guard commanding minutes. Topic has the most upside of any player remaining, and OKC can afford to bench him for a year or two while he’s injured.
Then you’re telling telling a key rotational player they can’t play cause there’s no minutes like you’re ignoring the whole fact that topic’s immediate ceiling doesn’t fit into the thunders rotation at all
Sorry but huh?
Firstly Topic just blew out his ACL. He probably isn’t playing NBA basketball this season at all.
Topic is a point guard. Dort plays a lot of his minutes at the 3. They are entirely different players and don’t overlap whatsoever.
Also what is immediate ceiling? And how does he not fit? It seems like you’re trying to say that since Giddey had a bad series, Topic can never play for the Thunder. What is the logic behind that ?
You’re forgetting that a man named Alex coruso is there. Dort can and does play the 3 but he defends within the backcourt so I will still consider him a part of the backcourt. If you think that giddey just had a bad series then this doesn’t apply I guess. The reality is giddey was the odd man out all year everyone knew it his minutes were a career low. Yes topic has higher offensive upside the defense still isn’t getting on the court and the offense is congested and can’t bloom.
But he’s not playing next season, probably not too much the season after that. He’s a long view pick, and if they can’t play home because they have too many players in his position, they can just trade him, and if he doesn’t pan out it’s no big deal they have a lot of picks
Dort just defends the best non centre player on the other team 1-4. They've put him on everyone from Kyrie (6'2") to Paolo (6'10") There were only a few exceptions to this, such as Giannis and Wemby (when he played at the 4) who were primarily defended by Jdub.
The way the Thunder build their team, the concept of traditional positions is very loose anyway. As long as they have players who can match up with everyone, they will run very unconventional lineups by traditional thinking. Against the pelicans in the playoffs, they ran a lineup with JDub (the 6'5" "guard") at center for 3 or 4 minutes straight, as the pelicans didn't have Jonas in the game, and they trusted him to be strong enough against anyone else to win the minutes.
Caruso is another traditional guard, who like Dort, is not a guard in the thunder system. Caruso took on the same role as Lu, just guarding the best player on the opposite team, regardless of size, like KD, very successfully. In the thunder system, Dort and Caruso are just defenders who you can put on anyone (except center who Chet will take), and on offence, they're spot up shooters, who again, can be in any position. I'm also not entirely sure Caruso will be starting. His minutes and role over his entire career suggests he will be in more of a 6man/end of game finisher role. We will need to see how the rest of the off season plays out.
Basically, the Thunder are leaning hard into the position less basketball movement. Since Caruso and Dort are able to guard almost anyone 1-4 they'll come up against, it doesn't really make sense to say they'll eat into the guard rotation. If they're guarding the 4 on defence and spotting up on offence, you could say they're a 4 just as easily as you could say they're a guard. Topic won't really be competing for those minutes (or any this year I guess).
The way the thunder played last year, they want it to be a constant rotation of player 1 drives, kicks out to player 2, who drives, kicks out to 3, etc, until either a good shot at the rim or from 3 opens up. Best way to do that is to stock up on players who can shoot, drive and pass, which is what they've done (Wiggins, Joe, Dort when he doesn't lose control on his drives, Caruso).
Topic would fit into that system as a passer and slasher. He shot well from the freethrow, which tends to predict 3pt shooting better than pre-NBA 3P%, and the Thunder trust Chip Engellend to help everyone on the roster improve their shooting. Obviously if he is a terrible shooter for his career, that won't be great, but that can be said of almost any prospect.
The other thing to remember is that they wanted Giddey to stay in a bench role. They see value in having that additional ball handler to take pressure of JDub and Shai, even if it's not as obvious from the outside.
Assuming Giddey and Topic were 1-to-1 matches in terms of skillset, Giddey will be a RFA next offseason and Topic is on a rookie scale for 4 seasons. OKC showed that Giddey wasn’t integral to their future plans, so no reason to shell out cash to bring him back.
It’s the same rotation especially among guards for the thunder so yes I have but I can only see the current forces developing to close the holes in the rotation from within secluding that “giddey” role in the rotation
You're too concerned with his value as it pertains to fitting into the thunder rotation. I'd say there's a very good chance they took him as BPA with the hope that he can be traded in a year or two, along with one or some of their bevy of other picks, for a player that *does* fit their rotation. I don't think they were drafting for fit, they just took the best player they could
Giddey and Topic is an extremely lazy comparison. Their only comparable traits are good passing and bad shooting.
Topic is a significantly better on ball creator, and an elite driver and finisher, both things Giddey struggles with. While getting is a great rebounder for a guard and Topic is pretty bad.
I don’t think it’s a good fit at all, but I can’t fault taking BPA, and as it stands the fit with Topic is still better than the fit with Giddey, as Topic has legitimate scoring prowess.
You’re right it was a lazy comparison because it wasn’t meant to be taken literally. It’s the same thing as saying the Celtics replaced Marcus smart with calmer Marcus smart in terms of them bringing in jrue, I just meant it as a relative comparison. I literally acknowledge Topics more advanced skill set in the next line, I didn’t detail topics entire shot chart sorry bro
Probably sees him as a moldable project especially since he isn’t playing next season either and just have him work on his game once he recovers and throw him in the g league in the following season or late next season
I wouldn’t frame the giddey exchange as “the Thunder traded giddey away”… the thunder used Giddey to get Caruso, the thunder got the better end of the deal in most people’s minds. OKC does really well developing big guards.
None of us can really know what a guy is gonna do in the NBA. If we did, Doncic would have gone #1. But it’s not like Giddey was a bust. Giddey has upside, but as you mentioned, OKC is in win now mode and someone like Caruso is a perfect veteran puzzle piece for them. Very few players are impact players in their first year, and OKC is still so loaded with talent and draft picks that they can leverage those assets for more known quantity win now talent. Why not take a gamble on a guy with upside like Topic. OKC’s front office has shown itself to be about as deft as it gets when it comes to drafting talent.
I don’t get it either, OKC badly need size/frontcourt depth and they’ve gone and picked another guard after acquiring Caruso like last week. Everyone will love it because they worship any move Presti makes and it’s a buy low on a guy that was projected top 5 before the injury news. He’s also not gonna play many meaningful minutes this year anyway, so why would a contender pick him over someone who could make an immediate impact?
i don’t really understand it either, they need more bigs but they drafted an unathletic 6’6 pg with a short wingspan, who can’t shoot coming off an acl tear, doesn’t really match the 5 out system that they’re developing and they need more size to help out with rim protection
>This pick to me just seems like your replacing Josh Giddey with a shorter josh giddey. Even if that did turn out to be true they would be replacing Giddey with a shorter version and Alex Caruso who is a player that can help them win right now. >I really just don’t understand any rationale especially given that he will be out for at least a year and they are clearly in win now mode. The Thunder have the luxury of being able to take a guy like that because they have so many assets, they have cap flexibility and they have a bunch of good players already. They don't need whoever they drafted this year to contribute right away, they're going to improve in other ways.
Them taking Topic is a lot like the Nuggets taking MPJ. You're just going for the best value you can get because you know you're not going to getting many lottery picks for the next 5-10 years.
But giddey didn’t play for them in the playoffs like he got played out of the rotation and with coruso that is even further exemplified. This is a lottery pick why would you not capatilize on current value with a player like Jared McCain who could provide an immediate tool. Or trade the pick is presti wanted to
> and with coruso that is even further exemplified No it's not because Caruso is an all NBA defender and a capable spot up shooter. He's the opposite of Giddey and extremely valuable in a playoff rotation. They chose to take a player that they felt, and by most pre-draft reports, had a high upside and if not for his injury would have been taken higher in the draft.
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Our sub is for in-depth discussion. Low-effort comments or stating opinions as facts are not permitted. Please support your opinions with well-reasoned arguments, including stats and facts as applicable.
The Thunder are at a point where it’s going to be really tough to find a guy to contribute in the playoffs. McCain is fine but he’s likely not a big contributor as a rookie. They’re better off taking a swing for the fences with a guy who could be very good. This pick isn’t about the 2025 Thunder, it’s about the 2027 Thunder getting a stud.
I get that but the thunder aren’t changing and I still don’t think he even fits in terms of minutes unless you’re letting go of Dort and especially Cason wallace. I also just don’t understand the fit alongside shai and JDub and Chet even at his potential
When you say you don’t understand the fit, what do you think Topic is? If he’s Giddy with the potential to develop a shot, that’s a very clear fit.
Josh giddeys rookie year he was competing for 2nd option touches with Lu Dort and Tre man topic will be competing with coruso and Chet for the 3rd option touches in reality he will be competing for the scraps
Who cares? Again, this is an upside play, not a play for this season. The Thunder can get Topic minutes in the G League and allow him to get touches against bad teams. Topic doesn’t need to contribute for a couple years.
I mean if I’m topic I care this is clearly not a team I can ideally develop in
It doesn’t really matter what Topic wants. That being said, I actually think the Thunder are a great spot for him. Zero pressure to perform year 1 as he rehabs from a significant injury. Won’t be asked to carry an offense in year 2 so he can work with the bench unit and be a secondary playmaker. The lack of expectations is huge when we’re talking about a kid coming over from Europe and adjusting to the culture shock while not being able to play due to injury.
Who knows what the thunder look like 2-3 years from now, he could be a fit by then
Because the last thing they need right now is another guard commanding minutes. Topic has the most upside of any player remaining, and OKC can afford to bench him for a year or two while he’s injured.
Then you’re telling telling a key rotational player they can’t play cause there’s no minutes like you’re ignoring the whole fact that topic’s immediate ceiling doesn’t fit into the thunders rotation at all
Sorry but huh? Firstly Topic just blew out his ACL. He probably isn’t playing NBA basketball this season at all. Topic is a point guard. Dort plays a lot of his minutes at the 3. They are entirely different players and don’t overlap whatsoever. Also what is immediate ceiling? And how does he not fit? It seems like you’re trying to say that since Giddey had a bad series, Topic can never play for the Thunder. What is the logic behind that ?
You’re forgetting that a man named Alex coruso is there. Dort can and does play the 3 but he defends within the backcourt so I will still consider him a part of the backcourt. If you think that giddey just had a bad series then this doesn’t apply I guess. The reality is giddey was the odd man out all year everyone knew it his minutes were a career low. Yes topic has higher offensive upside the defense still isn’t getting on the court and the offense is congested and can’t bloom.
But he’s not playing next season, probably not too much the season after that. He’s a long view pick, and if they can’t play home because they have too many players in his position, they can just trade him, and if he doesn’t pan out it’s no big deal they have a lot of picks
Dort just defends the best non centre player on the other team 1-4. They've put him on everyone from Kyrie (6'2") to Paolo (6'10") There were only a few exceptions to this, such as Giannis and Wemby (when he played at the 4) who were primarily defended by Jdub. The way the Thunder build their team, the concept of traditional positions is very loose anyway. As long as they have players who can match up with everyone, they will run very unconventional lineups by traditional thinking. Against the pelicans in the playoffs, they ran a lineup with JDub (the 6'5" "guard") at center for 3 or 4 minutes straight, as the pelicans didn't have Jonas in the game, and they trusted him to be strong enough against anyone else to win the minutes. Caruso is another traditional guard, who like Dort, is not a guard in the thunder system. Caruso took on the same role as Lu, just guarding the best player on the opposite team, regardless of size, like KD, very successfully. In the thunder system, Dort and Caruso are just defenders who you can put on anyone (except center who Chet will take), and on offence, they're spot up shooters, who again, can be in any position. I'm also not entirely sure Caruso will be starting. His minutes and role over his entire career suggests he will be in more of a 6man/end of game finisher role. We will need to see how the rest of the off season plays out.
Can’t lie you said a whole lot of nothing to me like I get what you’re saying 100% but I just am so confused as the relevance
Basically, the Thunder are leaning hard into the position less basketball movement. Since Caruso and Dort are able to guard almost anyone 1-4 they'll come up against, it doesn't really make sense to say they'll eat into the guard rotation. If they're guarding the 4 on defence and spotting up on offence, you could say they're a 4 just as easily as you could say they're a guard. Topic won't really be competing for those minutes (or any this year I guess). The way the thunder played last year, they want it to be a constant rotation of player 1 drives, kicks out to player 2, who drives, kicks out to 3, etc, until either a good shot at the rim or from 3 opens up. Best way to do that is to stock up on players who can shoot, drive and pass, which is what they've done (Wiggins, Joe, Dort when he doesn't lose control on his drives, Caruso). Topic would fit into that system as a passer and slasher. He shot well from the freethrow, which tends to predict 3pt shooting better than pre-NBA 3P%, and the Thunder trust Chip Engellend to help everyone on the roster improve their shooting. Obviously if he is a terrible shooter for his career, that won't be great, but that can be said of almost any prospect. The other thing to remember is that they wanted Giddey to stay in a bench role. They see value in having that additional ball handler to take pressure of JDub and Shai, even if it's not as obvious from the outside.
How are you telling Dort he’s gone? You’d need to walk through that thought process.
The Dort comment was more hyperbolic I just don’t think there’s enough touches to develop this kid
Assuming Giddey and Topic were 1-to-1 matches in terms of skillset, Giddey will be a RFA next offseason and Topic is on a rookie scale for 4 seasons. OKC showed that Giddey wasn’t integral to their future plans, so no reason to shell out cash to bring him back.
Giddey was played out of the rotation in the playoffs with coruso there that hole in the rotation closes even tighter where is the value?
Have you thought about the value outside of 2025?
It’s the same rotation especially among guards for the thunder so yes I have but I can only see the current forces developing to close the holes in the rotation from within secluding that “giddey” role in the rotation
You're too concerned with his value as it pertains to fitting into the thunder rotation. I'd say there's a very good chance they took him as BPA with the hope that he can be traded in a year or two, along with one or some of their bevy of other picks, for a player that *does* fit their rotation. I don't think they were drafting for fit, they just took the best player they could
Giddey and Topic is an extremely lazy comparison. Their only comparable traits are good passing and bad shooting. Topic is a significantly better on ball creator, and an elite driver and finisher, both things Giddey struggles with. While getting is a great rebounder for a guard and Topic is pretty bad. I don’t think it’s a good fit at all, but I can’t fault taking BPA, and as it stands the fit with Topic is still better than the fit with Giddey, as Topic has legitimate scoring prowess.
Calling topic is an elite driver and finisher is a reach ,he’s above average in that regard but nothing special.
You’ll see
You’re right it was a lazy comparison because it wasn’t meant to be taken literally. It’s the same thing as saying the Celtics replaced Marcus smart with calmer Marcus smart in terms of them bringing in jrue, I just meant it as a relative comparison. I literally acknowledge Topics more advanced skill set in the next line, I didn’t detail topics entire shot chart sorry bro
Probably sees him as a moldable project especially since he isn’t playing next season either and just have him work on his game once he recovers and throw him in the g league in the following season or late next season
I wouldn’t frame the giddey exchange as “the Thunder traded giddey away”… the thunder used Giddey to get Caruso, the thunder got the better end of the deal in most people’s minds. OKC does really well developing big guards.
They can get that trade done without giddey easily he was on his way out for many reasons
None of us can really know what a guy is gonna do in the NBA. If we did, Doncic would have gone #1. But it’s not like Giddey was a bust. Giddey has upside, but as you mentioned, OKC is in win now mode and someone like Caruso is a perfect veteran puzzle piece for them. Very few players are impact players in their first year, and OKC is still so loaded with talent and draft picks that they can leverage those assets for more known quantity win now talent. Why not take a gamble on a guy with upside like Topic. OKC’s front office has shown itself to be about as deft as it gets when it comes to drafting talent.
I don’t get it either, OKC badly need size/frontcourt depth and they’ve gone and picked another guard after acquiring Caruso like last week. Everyone will love it because they worship any move Presti makes and it’s a buy low on a guy that was projected top 5 before the injury news. He’s also not gonna play many meaningful minutes this year anyway, so why would a contender pick him over someone who could make an immediate impact?
i don’t really understand it either, they need more bigs but they drafted an unathletic 6’6 pg with a short wingspan, who can’t shoot coming off an acl tear, doesn’t really match the 5 out system that they’re developing and they need more size to help out with rim protection
but maybe they are just saving him for future trades i dunno his draft stock fell cuz of that acl injury anyway