2024 Draft Prospect: Nikola Topic

KingCat · Post #61 » by **KingCat** » Sat Jun 1, 2024 7:16 am

I'm really all over the place on this kid. If the Spurs pass on him then there is a good chance we can land him...but if a historically good scouting franchise like the Spurs pass on a prospect that means something must be up with that prospect...

Post #62 » by **Diop** » Sat Jun 1, 2024 7:25 am

KingCat wrote:I'm really all over the place on this kid. If the Spurs pass on him then there is a good chance we can land him...but if a historically good scouting franchise like the Spurs pass on a prospect that means something must be up with that prospect...

Josh Primo proved that everyone makes mistakes sometimes. Sochan isn’t necessarily a home run yet either

KingCat · Post #63 » by **KingCat** » Sun Jun 2, 2024 9:21 am

Bonus points for making Kaminsky look like a fool in a couple of his highlights

JMAC3 · Post #64 » by **JMAC3** » Tue Jun 4, 2024 3:26 pm

Read on Twitter

Rich4114 · Post #65 » by **Rich4114** » Tue Jun 4, 2024 3:28 pm

Perhaps the injury pushes him down to 6. Feels like a solid pick if he’s there based on overall talent. Dallas is proving you can play with two handling creators on the court at once.

SWedd523 · Post #66 » by **SWedd523** » Tue Jun 4, 2024 3:35 pm

It would be so on brand for the Hornets to have another tall, talented guy who can't get right due to nagging injuries

Snidely FC · Post #67 » by **Snidely FC** » Tue Jun 4, 2024 4:28 pm

that clunk you just heard was the sound of his draft stock falling

JMAC3 · Post #68 » by **JMAC3** » Tue Jun 4, 2024 4:33 pm

No idea what would be better to be honest, if he was trying to rush back and workout not 100% or just take his rehab more serious.

It is the Melo dilemma all over again where people are mad at both decisions.

JustBuzzin · Post #69 » by **JustBuzzin** » Tue Jun 4, 2024 5:00 pm

LaMelo/Topic aka Street Clothes Bros 8-)

Bassman · Post #70 » by **Bassman** » Tue Jun 4, 2024 5:13 pm

JustBuzzin wrote:LaMelo/Topic aka Street Clothes Bros

Yep, RED ALERT folks. I wouldn’t go near Topic, even if we trade back. If he had just “tweaked” his knee…the SAME knee he injured previously, it wouldn’t be this out of commission so many weeks removed from the latest injury.

I don’t care if it’s looked back on years later as a mistake….Hornets…

JMAC3 · Post #71 » by **JMAC3** » Tue Jun 4, 2024 5:49 pm

Bassman wrote:
JustBuzzin wrote:LaMelo/Topic aka Street Clothes Bros

Yep, RED ALERT folks. I wouldn’t go near Topic, even if we trade back. If he had just “tweaked” his knee…the SAME knee he injured previously, it wouldn’t be this out of commission so many weeks removed from the latest injury.

I don’t care if it’s looked back on years later as a mistake….Hornets…

The 2nd knee injury was 3 weeks ago, It's not like he has had months to recover.
The reporting I saw said he expects to be able to do some workouts prior to the draft.

JustBuzzin · Post #72 » by **JustBuzzin** » Tue Jun 4, 2024 5:50 pm

Bassman wrote:
JustBuzzin wrote:LaMelo/Topic aka Street Clothes Bros

Yep, RED ALERT folks. I wouldn’t go near Topic, even if we trade back. If he had just “tweaked” his knee…the SAME knee he injured previously, it wouldn’t be this out of commission so many weeks removed from the latest injury.

I don’t care if it’s looked back on years later as a mistake….Hornets…

Honestly this idea of PG never made sense.

If we drafting a PG that tells me we don't believe in Melo's ability to stay healthy. You don't take a PG #6 overall with a supermax PG already on your roster.

The only reason I was ok with Topic is because he has the size to play SG. That knee injury is a huge no no.

I have heard reports he is delaying possible surgery so it won't kill his draft stock.

Bassman · Post #73 » by **Bassman** » Tue Jun 4, 2024 5:53 pm

JMAC3 wrote:
Bassman wrote:
JustBuzzin wrote:LaMelo/Topic aka Street Clothes Bros

Yep, RED ALERT folks. I wouldn’t go near Topic, even if we trade back. If he had just “tweaked” his knee…the SAME knee he injured previously, it wouldn’t be this out of commission so many weeks removed from the latest injury.

I don’t care if it’s looked back on years later as a mistake….Hornets…

The 2nd knee injury was 3 weeks ago, It's not like he has had months to recover.
The reporting I saw said he expects to be able to do some workouts prior to the draft.

Per Topic in the interview video you just posted today, sounds like he’s not doing anything physical, no workouts, no shooting, basketball, etc.

JMAC3 · Post #74 » by **JMAC3** » Tue Jun 4, 2024 5:57 pm

Bassman wrote:
JMAC3 wrote:
Bassman wrote:
Yep, RED ALERT folks. I wouldn’t go near Topic, even if we trade back. If he had just “tweaked” his knee…the SAME knee he injured previously, it wouldn’t be this out of commission so many weeks removed from the latest injury.

I don’t care if it’s looked back on years later as a mistake….Hornets…

The 2nd knee injury was 3 weeks ago, It's not like he has had months to recover.
The reporting I saw said he expects to be able to do some workouts prior to the draft.

Per Topic in the interview video you just posted today, sounds like he’s not doing anything physical, no workouts, no shooting, basketball, etc.

Yes, the draft is 22 days away...
Risacher also hasn't done any workouts in the US yet as well.

JustBuzzin · Post #75 » by **JustBuzzin** » Tue Jun 4, 2024 5:58 pm

JMAC3 wrote:
Bassman wrote:
JustBuzzin wrote:LaMelo/Topic aka Street Clothes Bros

Yep, RED ALERT folks. I wouldn’t go near Topic, even if we trade back. If he had just “tweaked” his knee…the SAME knee he injured previously, it wouldn’t be this out of commission so many weeks removed from the latest injury.

I don’t care if it’s looked back on years later as a mistake….Hornets…

The 2nd knee injury was 3 weeks ago, It's not like he has had months to recover.
The reporting I saw said he expects to be able to do some workouts prior to the draft.

Nothing wrong with liking your guy. Like I said if he didn't have those knee issues he would probably be top 5 on my board. I like the fact he could play both guard positions.

I don't think we can afford to gamble on another PG who also has huge concerns with health.

KingCat · Post #76 » by **KingCat** » Tue Jun 4, 2024 6:04 pm

I like this kid. Really love the first step he has displayed and the playmakkmg. Also not overly concerned about the shooting due to his ft%. But to play devils adcocate just out of curiosity:

I'm pretty high on Tre Mann and think he can be a good if not elite longterm 6th man. Do folks feel Topic will end up being better than Tre? Or is this a case of "grass is always greener" or "shiny new toy"?

JMAC3 · Post #77 » by **JMAC3** » Tue Jun 4, 2024 6:06 pm

JustBuzzin wrote:
JMAC3 wrote:
Bassman wrote:
Yep, RED ALERT folks. I wouldn’t go near Topic, even if we trade back. If he had just “tweaked” his knee…the SAME knee he injured previously, it wouldn’t be this out of commission so many weeks removed from the latest injury.

I don’t care if it’s looked back on years later as a mistake….Hornets…

The 2nd knee injury was 3 weeks ago, It's not like he has had months to recover.
The reporting I saw said he expects to be able to do some workouts prior to the draft.

Nothing wrong with liking your guy. Like I said if he didn't have those knee issues he would probably be top 5 on my board. I like the fact he could play both guard positions.

I don't think we can afford to gamble on another PG who also has huge concerns with health.

Yeah, I have no idea the severity of the injury, just going based on the reports out there.
If the news from the combine is that they think surgery is needed and he is out for the next 9 months then yeah I will probably knock him down a few spots.
However, he is only 18 yrs old, I am not ready to write him off some huge injury risk if he is working out for teams in 2 weeks.

I just prefer to draft the best players in the draft and care less about fit when we realistically have maybe 3 guys on our roster that are long term pieces.

JMAC3 · Post #78 » by **JMAC3** » Tue Jun 4, 2024 8:02 pm

Obviously not the MVP version, but he does remind me some of SGA as a prospect. Where he doesn't look like he is doing that much but yet he is always at the rim. I remember thinking SGA really didn't have some crazy handle in college and he also wasn't a guy that was beating teams with his jump shot. He just was really tall and felt like he was just going by guys with simple moves.

That is the vibe that Topic film gives me at times. Where I am watching it and questioning what is he doing that they are just conceding him lanes to the basket the entire game.

GoBobs · Post #79 » by **GoBobs** » Tue Jun 4, 2024 8:40 pm

Knee issues can be scarry. Lonzo Ball just missed two and a half season with what was initially a torn meniscus.

If it was an anlke I would not be worried, but a knee is different. He should withdraw from the draft so he can prove it is right.

As we would have to pick him without ever seeing him return to form, I would pass.

Rich4114 · Post #80 » by **Rich4114** » Tue Jun 4, 2024 8:49 pm

Similar to our C dilemma, I don’t care that we have LaMelo. We need ball handling, playmaking and talent on the roster. If Topic offers that and is BPA, the dumbest reason ever to not take him is because we have a PG already. You need more than one and two ball handlers that are elite at playmaking can absolutely share the ball.

Last time we made and won playoff games, our two best players were both point guards lol.