The Oklahoma City Thunder announced that rookie guard Nikola Topic underwent successful surgery to repair a left ACL tear. Topic is expected to miss the entirety of the 2024-25 season to rehab from the injury.
The Thunder drafted Topic with the 12th pick in the first-round of the 2024 NBA Draft. The 6-foot-6 point guard was injured while playing for Crvena zvezda in Serbia in mid-May. Topic may have initially suffered the ACL tear in early-January, but was diagnosed with a sprained left knee. He returned to play in late-April before being injured approximately three weeks later.
Oklahoma City has experience dealing with a first-round pick missing their first NBA season. Chet Holmgren missed the 2022-23 season due to a fractured foot. Holmgren then returned to have a success rookie season in 2024-24.
The Brooklyn Nets have kicked off a rebuild by trading Mikal Bridges. The next steps could be trading veteran forwards Dorian Finney-Smith or Cameron Johnson.
Several teams have reportedly expressed interest in trading for Johnson. The Sacramento Kings, Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers were mentioned as initial suitors. Other teams mentioned include the Golden State Warriors, Toronto Raptors and San Antonio Spurs.
Johnson has three years and $68.8 million left on his contract. At $23.6 million for 2024-25, the 6-foot-8 wing shooter is considered a very tradable player.
In a wide-ranging interview about finally playing in the Olympics and his career, Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry was candid about the state of the team. Curry was also honest about his thoughts on finishing his career with the Warriors, after longtime teammate Klay Thompson left the team this offseason.
“I’m taking it one step at a time to be honest. I think that’s the only way that will protect my happiness. Also, it allows me to enjoy being myself when I’m out there playing. And I’ll continue to make the decisions that are best for me and for my career at the end of the day when it comes to just the imagination. I want to win,” Curry said. “Let’s put it this way, it’s a longwinded way of saying that it if it is a situation where you’re a bottom feeder and it’s just because you want to stay there, I’d have a hard time with that. But I don’t think that’s going to be the reality.”
Curry said it’s “still weird” that Thompson left for the Dallas Mavericks. The Warriors point guard said he probably won’t fully process it until he shows up at the arena and Thompson isn’t there.
