Oklahoma City’s roster is loaded with talent from top to bottom. Last season, talented end-of-bench players disappeared from the rotation, and players like Three men were traded to secure a better opportunity. The Thunder have no more minutes to give, and every second on the court must now be earned.
The team nevertheless remained in the NBA draft and even made a trade until the end of the first round to recover a second prospect. Nikola Theme And Dillon Jones Jones and Topic will join the loaded roster in hopes of sticking around for the long haul — even though the duo will have polar opposite rookie seasons in the NBA. Topic will be recovering from a major injury, while Jones will be battling for playing time and a spot on Oklahoma City’s deep bench.
In Latest Bleacher Report ArticleNBA Draft Analyst Jonathan Wasserman He projected the roles of each first-round pick and had plenty to say about the Thunder’s new signings.
“The Oklahoma City Thunder won’t have much use for Nikola Topic in their quest for the 2025 NBA title,” he wrote. “He’s still 18, coming off an ACL injury and played fewer than 650 minutes last year overseas. Topic should spend the year rehabbing, while Cason Wallace will likely see his role increase.”
He listed Topic as a G League player next season, but the truth is he likely won’t be ready until the 2025 season. Topic has one of the highest ceilings in the draft and could contribute for years to come, but he won’t get a chance to shine this season. Instead, he’ll take a redshirt season like Chet Holmgren. It’ll allow him to observe a championship-caliber team up close and work on his rehab process while also getting a feel for the NBA lifestyle.
Jones, on the other hand, will likely get a chance. He’s not on a two-way contract, and his summer league skillset fills a few key needs for the Thunder. He’s an experienced college player, having played four years at Weber State. He has experience being the best player on his team and can really do it all. In his final season, he averaged 20.8 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.2 assists. At times, he looked like the best player on the floor during Oklahoma City’s summer league.
Wasserman described his role with the Thunder as a Swiss Army knife. He’s likely to spend time in the G League, but depending on his development, Jones could be a one-time rotation player if someone gets hurt or Oklahoma City needs a spark.
“The Oklahoma City Thunder rotation may be too deep for Dillon Jones, especially after the addition of Alex Caruso,” he wrote. “He offers a unique offensive package with his ability to handle the ball to create and make plays at 6’2″, 260 pounds.”
“Like most Thunder guards and wings, he can be moved around to different positions, which should maximize his chances of seeing the court at some point. However, becoming a consistent shooting threat remains the priority for Jones, who should spend time in the G League and approach triple-doubles with his rushing, passing and rebounding.”
Oklahoma City’s first-rounders could both contribute in the future, but Jones will be the only one who gets a chance next season. Wasserman called Topic and Jones first-year G League players and gave Jones a chance to find his place on the Thunder’s bench.
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