(AP) — After a flurry of minor trades in the Northwest Division on Thursday, only two teams found players in the second round of the NBA draft. Oklahoma City reportedly ended up with guard Ajay Mitchell at No. 38 overall, continuing its theme of first-round play with guard Nikola Topic and forward Dillon Jones.
Other details of the two-day project:
Needs: The Thunder had their rebounding deficiencies exposed by Dallas in the Western Conference semifinals and recently traded their top rebounding guard, Josh Giddey, to Chicago. They also have a centerpiece in Chet Holmgren who is thin and plays more like a winger despite his 7-foot-1 frame.
Drafted: Nikola Topic, Serbian guard, pick No. 12 in the first round. Dillon Jones, Weber State forward, No. 26 pick in the first round after a trade with New York. UC Santa Barbara guard Ajay Mitchell, No. 38 pick in the second round, after proposed trades with Golden State, Portland and New York.
Comparison: The subject could be the next Giddey. With good size at 6-foot-6 and solid court vision, Topic does most of his damage with dribble penetration. He will need to improve his 3-point shooting, but his first priority is rehab. The 18-year-old suffered a left ACL injury last month and it is unclear when he will be ready to play. Jones profiles as Utah’s Talen Horton-Tucker. Mitchell’s best-case scenario might be New York’s Jalen Brunson.
