[raybeasParticipant]

Nikola Topic has a partially torn ACL in his left knee, according to his agent as reported by ESPN. He injured his knee in January and missed four months, then played three more games before injuring it again. He hasn’t had surgery yet.

[NorrinRaddParticipant]

Just heard the same thing on a podcast… Not sure what will happen with him now. Will he stay in this draft? And where would we feel comfortable drafting him in this draft? That really sucks for Topic!!!

[BothTeamsPlayedHard-Participant]

Why would he pull out of the draft? Given the timing of his surgery and rehab, he probably does not play next season regardless of which team he is on. With the caliber of the draft being what it is, teams are going to expect to be waiting on guys prior to them being able to help them. If a team regards Topic as a Top 5 talent in this draft, then I would have to believe some team in the 10-22 range will happily take him so that they can manage his rehab as opposed to outsourcing it to Red Star.

[NorrinRaddParticipant]

that’s a good point, his rehab could probably take a while… hope he has a nice recovery… He’s probably still a first round pick.

[HitsterParticipant]

Has a guy ever been drafted injured we had Oden, Griffin, Embeast, Chet, Nerlens Noel, Ben Simmons in recent years miss their 1st year in the NBA through injury some were out even longer.

A team could draft him but not sign him to retain his 4 years on rookie scale too. With next year’s draft being loaded teams in rebuild will be in no hurry to move out of the lottery. Would the Spurs use 8th pick to take him, Ainge in Utah at 10 would probably be prepared to wait, Portland at 14 could easily take him but they have Scoot in situ already. Would Pat Riley pass on that upside at 15 I somehow doubt.

I’ll move him a bit down my mock and then see what consensus mock opinion is.

[NorrinRaddParticipant]

He’ll be a first rounder for sure.. and maybe top half still. It’s a weak draft and although different positions, there’s been the recent Michael Porter, Jr., Bol Bol, and Chuma Okeke that have been drafted on big injuries of fairly recent drafts’ past…

[BothTeamsPlayedHard-Participant]

I think Miami would be a possibility, though I think Devin Carter would be my guess as the one they are eyeing. His dad Anthony Carter got his playing coaching career started with Riley, and coached with the Heat and their G-League affiliate. That means Devin grew up in that building and the decision makers there know him. He knows their culture, and they could use a two-way guard who is ready to step in.

San Antonio and Portland could still go Topic as they have multiple picks and are relatively early in their builds so that they can feel justified in taking a talented player they are willing to wait on. Chicago might be hesitant to take a player coming off an injury given its history with injuries altering the course of its franchise, but Topic is a big guard who could theoretically play alongside White and Dosunmu. OKC could even though there is no need. It would be a luxury pick. Once the picks get to the 76ers, Lakers, Magic, Raptors, Cavaliers, Pelicans, and Suns, I cannot see all seven passing on him.

[NorrinRaddParticipant]

Many mocks have him going in the lottery still with majority top ten… shows the lack of top talent in this draft. Isaiah Crawford, a guy who performed well is starting to get some buzz too… He’s had 2 knee operations as well. I probably wouldn’t considering drafting him unless it was one of the last 5 prospects or something in the draft. Louis King was a really good college player in his day on a tough Oregon team with knee injuries. He’s a back end player in the league still here and there… perhaps or stays in Puerto Rico – he was undrafted. Was curious on what you think Crawford’s chances of getting drafted are?

[HitsterParticipant]

I’d forgotten about Okeke, the Magic didn’t sign him until 2020 and he spent a year rehabbing at their G-League team. Topic already has a pro deal so could remain in Europe for a year and come over next summer if he is drafted this year and his team don’t want to sign him immediately.

Those teams BTPH mentions outside of the lottery a lot of them want to try and contend now but Raptors could take an upside punt on Topic and even the Cavs who have Mitchell possibly being a FA next summer. Topic would be a nice safety net to have in the pocket if Mitchell did move on or they ended up trading him next season if they get the vibes he won’t resign.

Portland at 14 still jumps out to me as him not falling past even if they do have a good young backcourt. Chicago have Lonzo Ball still on their books and Zach LaVine recovering from injury so taking another injured player would be just too risky IMO.

[BothTeamsPlayedHard-Participant]

I have thought Isaiah Crawford has long been a lock for the G-League, because he fits the profile of the kind of player teams want to bring in and develop. The holdups, and why I think he was pegged for the G-League Elite Camp, are that he is a 5-year senior who missed the better part of two years with injuries, whose shot came around late, and he played in CUSA where it is easy to go under the radar. The fact that he is taller than he was listed, has a 7-foot wingspan, tested well enough athletically, and shot the ball well in the drills while in Chicago has probably elevated him from someone a team figured to give a Exhibit 10 deal to to maybe a two-way. It is perfectly reasonable for a team to take him in round 2 if they like him, though I tend to believe a team is more likely to bank on them being able to get him as a UDFA. If you start grouping the 6’6″ to 6’9″ wings who either can shoot or project to be able, and either can defend of have the traits of someone who teams think will be able to defend, you have a large late-1st to 2nd round possibilities: Crawford, Harrison Ingram, Jalen Bridges, Jaylen Wells, Nikola Djurisic, Thierry Darlan, Justin Edwards, Tristan Enaruna, Kyshawn George, Allen Flanigan, Blake Hinson, Pelle Larsson, Malique Lewis, Jamison Battle, Trentyn Flowers, Ryan Dunn, Marcus Domask, Pacome Dadiet, Melvin Ajinca, Jaylon Tyson, Kevin McCullar, Jaykwon Walton, Keshad Johnson, Tyler Burton, Bryson Warren, Cui Yongxi, Fedor Zugic, and some people look upon Bobi Klintman and Tristan da Silva as more of a wing than a 4. Not all of them are getting drafted, and good luck finding a consensus on how they get ranked. Some weigh the value of age, athleticism, size, production, versatility, or shooting differently. Add to that an interesting and athletic group of bigs who figure in that late 1st to 2nd round picture as well, and it is easy to see how even in a relatively weak class not everyone is getting drafted. It is not a top heavy class, but there are a lot of guys with impressive developmental traits. It is not going to be a wash out draft where three-quarters of the picks are out of the league or on the fringes of it in five years.

[NorrinRaddParticipant]

I think you’re on to something with the UDFA. Flanigan also had some bad injuries. Great bringing him up… I’d definitely consider some of those prospects more of pure forwards than wings. Others are wings and somewhere in-between… As for Ryan Dunn, he’s a strange case of a 4/5 to me offensively who can defend about anybody. Weird prospect.

[HitsterParticipant]

With these wings is there a way teams can project who will be a better shooter in the NBA if they are similar size, athleticism and stats?

With the drafts I still think a lot of teams will swing for upside in the 2nd round and figure there may be seniors as good as those who are drafted who go undrafted so can pick them up via 2 way deals, Summer League, Training Camp etc.

I agree this year’s draft class isn’t as bad as some think it’s just that lack of a couple of clear cut potential superstars at the top of the board.

[BothTeamsPlayedHard-Participant]

For a team that believes in their ability to develop a player as a shooter, it is very possible Dunn gets pegged as a 1st rounder. Other teams won’t have him there. Some front offices have a pretty long track record for only taking 1st or 2nd year eligible guys. For them, Justin Edwards and Trentyn Flowers might have more appeal. Some teams really like their ability to assess foreign prospects, and then there is Danny Ainge. I think Djurisic is worthy of a 1st round pick, but wouldn’t mock him to Utah. With two-ways, some teams have one or two guys who are eligible to be brought back on them again. For them, maybe a draft-and-stash is more appealing in the draft. You also have teams with either one or zero picks. The Hawks have the top pick, but even if they bring back Seth Lundy on the two-way would still have two open spots. It isn’t a guarantee that one goes to a rookie. Still, if they want to get a look at a guy they like in the Summer League and training camp, they can offer one and see what happens.

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