The Oklahoma City Thunder used one of the deepest rotations in the NBA to secure the franchise's first championship. With the start of the 2025-26 regular season on the horizon, the Thunder are favored to go back-to-back. Thanks to the addition of Nikola Topic to a crowded bench mob featuring Isaiah Joe and Cason Wallace, the size of their roles could change quickly.
Topic missed the first season of his NBA career with a torn ACL. However, the young guard impressed the Thunder at NBA Summer League, showing a lot of promise as a playmaker. For a team that depended so heavily on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as a facilitator, Topic could answer all of their offensive questions. However, he is not the only player who could take a big jump.
Wallace established himself as one of the best on-ball defenders in the NBA last season. The pressure he put on players like Anthony Edwards, Jamal Murray, and Tyrese Haliburton helped the Thunder win the title. Despite his defensive skills, the second-year pro still has a lot to work on in his game. First and foremost is his ball handling and ability to run an offense.
For everything that Wallace lacked last season, Joe was a foil to him. The veteran wing is one of the best shooters in the league, but he could not stay on the floor in the postseason. Daigneault valued defensive players like Wallace and Alex Caruso more throughout Oklahoma City's playoff run, leaving Joe on the bench as an emergency option.
The Thunder paid both Joe and Aaron Wiggins in the 2024 offseason. Both are on long-term deals, but players like Wallace and Topic could easily take their spots. For the former, the growth he shows in training camp could determine his spot in the pecking order.
Wallace's lack of playmaking prevents him from being an all-around threat
The Thunder offense was an elite unite throughout the 2024-25 season. However, a closer look revealed that the team was far too dependent on the MVP-level scoring from Gilgeous-Alexander. In addition to pacing Oklahoma City in points, Gilgeous-Alexander's 6.4 assists also led the team by a significant margin. Daigneault would love to see a more balanced effort this season.
Wallace was the de-facto backup point guard throughout the regular season. However, Jalen Williams took over the majority of ball-handling responsibilities when his All-Star teammate rested. He thrived in that role, but the team needs Wallace to grow into that role in high-pressure games. Right now, 2.5 assists per game is not going to cut it for the young Thunder guard.
Daigneault has harped the development of his young talent throughout his tenure as a head coach. There is no reason why Wallace cannot take a significant step forward with his offensive game. Both Alex Caruso and Luguentz Dort have taken the guard under their wing, teaching him how to bring value offensively. Wallace is primed for a great season in 2025-26.
One of the bad things about being on such a deep team is that there is always a player waiting for more opportunity behind you. If Wallace cannot figure out his offensive game in training camp, Topic is the first person who could compete for his minutes.
Nikola Topic's talent can't be ignored for very long
Topic sat back and learned in Oklahoma City while recovering from injury. After an impressive showing for the Thunder at NBA Summer League, he is ready to get his first taste of the league. As a player, he is exactly who Daigneault needs to fit into his lineup. Topic's offensive talent and size for a point guard makes him an enticing option for any head coach.
As a playmaker, Topic walks into the door better than any Thunder player outside of Jalen Williams and Gilgeous-Alexander. That is not good news for Wallace, who figures to be a key part of Oklahoma City's bench. He thrived as a spot-up shooter throughout the playoffs, but spoke about taking on more offensive responsibility in 2025-26. Topic could take that from him.
Regardless of what happens during the Thunder's training camp, both Wallace and Topic will play a lot this season. However, the size of their role off the bench will be determined by the progress they show on both ends of the floor.
Wallace has all the tools necessary to be an elite player in the NBA. The young Thunder guard was named one of the NBA's Rising Stars last season. If he can unlock that part of his game, he becomes a two-way force. However, Topic is ready to steal the spotlight from him if he does not show improvement.
