Oklahoma City has spent the past few months making difficult financial choices as it tries to keep its championship core together. The Thunder already shed Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins, and Isaiah Joe in a series of moves that reportedly cut their projected payroll and luxury tax obligations by nearly $200 million. Now, another decision has added to those savings, although this one comes with a much more personal cost.
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Nikola Topic is the latest casualty of Oklahoma City’s brutal financial strategy. The decision was part of a larger set of contract moves announced Sunday. Oklahoma City exercised its $6.8 million option on Jared McCain and its $5.1 million option on Thomas Sorber. Topic, however, will not receive the same commitment. Andrew Schlecht of The Athletic highlighted the financial implications on X, acknowledging the unfortunate circumstances surrounding the young guard.
“The Thunder are declining Topic’s 4th-year option. The Thunder will save roughly 60 million next summer by doing so. Just a bummer for Topic who hasn’t gotten a chance to play, but the Thunder should be able to parlay these savings into the core of the team. (Much like they did with Cason) They will pick up the options for McCain and Sorber.”
The 21-year-old guard has barely had an opportunity to establish himself since entering the league. After a devastating run of injuries and a cancer diagnosis, his path toward becoming an NBA regular has been anything but straightforward. The Thunder have now declined to exercise his fourth-year option, potentially bringing another $60 million in future financial flexibility.
The reported savings are considerably larger than Topic’s salary because of the additional luxury tax burden attached to Oklahoma City’s projected payroll. The latest move follows the approach that the franchise will make uncomfortable roster decisions. This leaves a significant question mark over the 21-year-old’s future. While the move is unfortunate for Topic, the Thunder view it as necessary to preserve their championship roster
When Oklahoma City selected Topic with the 12th overall pick in 2024, the franchise believed it had landed a prospect with considerable upside. The Serbian guard had impressed overseas, and several draft evaluations viewed him as a potential top-five selection. His stock took a hit after a serious knee injury, but the Thunder still saw enough potential to bring him aboard. Unfortunately, his NBA journey began with another lengthy rehabilitation process.
Topic initially injured his left knee while playing for Crvena Zvezda in Serbia. After missing approximately four months, he returned to action in April 2024. However, his comeback lasted only three games before he suffered a partial ACL tear in the same knee during the Adriatic League playoffs. Surgery and rehabilitation followed, ruling him out for the entirety of the 2024-25 NBA campaign.
He eventually returned to competitive basketball during the 2025 Summer League. Then came another devastating setback. In October 2025, Topic received a testicular cancer diagnosis. He underwent a procedure and subsequently completed chemotherapy, spending the following months focused on his recovery. His treatment also involved medical specialists at the University of Oklahoma and Houston’s MD Anderson Cancer Center.
After everything he had endured, Topic finally stepped onto an NBA floor on February 12, 2026. It was the culmination of nearly two years of waiting. The Thunder welcomed him with a standing ovation when he entered their matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks. Topic eventually appeared in 10 regular-season contests, averaging 5.2 points and 4.4 assists across 16 minutes per game. He also featured in nine playoff games, although his opportunities remained limited.
Just when Topic appeared to have put his most difficult experiences behind him, another medical issue emerged. In June 2026, the guard underwent a minimally invasive lumbar microdiscectomy in Dallas. Dr. Andrew Dossett performed the operation to address a problem involving a disc in his lower back.
The procedure came after his first NBA season and added another rehabilitation challenge to an already demanding journey. Although the Thunder initially expected him to be available for training camp, he has yet to appear in a game during the 2026-27 campaign, causing a new twist in his NBA tale.
Topic previously reflected on how the difficult period had changed his outlook. Speaking on May 31, he opened up about the growth out of that time in his life.
“I learned a lot about myself. I didn’t know how tough I was, honestly. It wasn’t the best, but I’m grateful that I went through those experiences. I grew from those experiences as well and it made me a better person today, and I wouldn’t be here if those things didn’t happen. I’m looking forward to getting ready to play.”
For now, Oklahoma City has prioritized financial flexibility. Topic, meanwhile, faces another uphill battle to prove that his NBA story still has plenty of chapters left.