Nikola Topic was recently elevated from Mega MIS and the Adriatic League to a completely new platform with Red Star of the Euroleague, only to suffer a knee injury a few games later. Even though Topic’s momentum stalled as a result, he is still one of the the strongest #1 candidates on the board. Topic is the draft’s preeminent driver — a provider of paint touches and a smart scorer with a trade and 6-foot-6 size to avoid concerns about limited athleticism.
Although Topic doesn’t move laterally very well on defense, he is a sports car who drives the lane on offense. He excels at freezing defenders with hesitation before exploding to the rim to finish. Topic also doesn’t rise much vertically, but it gets by with subtle gear changes and a feather-soft feel.
Topic’s main concerns are defense and 3-point shooting. He seems comfortable shooting from deep when given time and space, but Topic’s pull mechanics leave a lot to be desired. It is also not very dissuasive at the point of attack. These are major flaws, but in a draft short on proven talent, the Wizards should welcome the productive teenager from Europe’s top professional league. His ability to break down a defense and generate advantages – both for himself and his teammates – is a potential ticket to stardom.
The Pistons have incredibly few functional NBA players on their roster. The core is relatively solid – Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Ausar Thompson, Jalen Duren – but the pieces around them are so haphazardly constructed that Detroit can barely function on the basketball court. The Pistons won’t find their individual solution in the 2024 draft, but Ron Holland has the ability to push Detroit in the right direction.
Despite tight spacing and a distinct lack of quality playmakers on the G League Ignite roster, Holland began to turn his season around. At 6-foot-7, Holland fits basketball’s most valuable archetype. He’s a two-way wing with a voracious appetite for stops and a tremendous talent for pressure at the rim on offense. Holland needs to get his 3-point shot working, but he’s an impressive slasher whose acrobatic finishes in the paint are hard to ignore.
The Pistons need more shooters and Holland should work hard to improve as a decision maker. He doesn’t create much on the perimeter and defenses will funnel Holland into traffic until he can demand attention beyond the arc. Still, with Cunningham’s impressive eye for the game, not to mention Ivey and Thompson creating advantages with their athleticism, Holland would be well-positioned to feast on open routes to the rim, simple finishes and 3 spot-ups. Plus, he would reinvigorate the Pistons’ horrible perimeter defense.
The Pistons face a tough decision at first place. dark. MOCKED 2024 NBA DRAFT. Pistons face tough decision at first place
