Even after all he has been through, it may be time for the Oklahoma City Thunder to prepare for the parting of ways with their former first-round pick, Nikola Topic.
Topic has been through the worst of it over the past couple of years, including cancer and a torn ACL. Now, he finds himself recovering from a back procedure he underwent in June.
With his gifted feel and size, it's still worth seeing if he has the juice that made him a round-one selection just two years ago, but come the trade deadline, the Thunder may be forced to face a tough decision.
If Topic is, in fact, damaged goods, it may be time to move on and make a move for a guard with an astute veteran presence, as well as familiarity with the OKC organization.
Dennis Schroder, the former OKC Thunder guard who now resides with the Charlotte Hornets, could be an excellent replacement for Topic, and the move makes sense for both parties.
Thunder, Dennis Schroder trade could complete guard rotation
As it stands, OKC's backcourt depth is fairly lopsided in play style and is lacking in true point guards.
Jared McCain, Bennett Stirtz, and even Alex Caruso lack consistent rim pressure that OKC desperately needs when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is on the bench. Over half of McCain's and Caruso's field goal attempts come from three, and nearly half of Stirtz's 14.2 field goal attempts in 2026 came from deep.
Outside of Stirtz and Ajay Mitchell, there aren't trustworthy facilitators who can truly handle the ball and keep the offensive tempo.
Schroder, even at this stage in his career, can maintain the tempo, run the pick-and-roll, and give constant rim pressure.
Among players who logged 20 or fewer minutes per game in the 2026 playoffs, Schroder was first in drives per game at 5.6, while playing under 16 minutes per game. He also had the sixth-highest frequency of pick-and-rolls in the playoffs among all players.
Along with his much-needed offensive traits, he also fits right into the Thunder's physical defense. Schroder still gives maximum defensive effort, picking up opponents full court and giving relentless on-ball pressure. His effort is a significant reason he averaged the third-most clutch minutes per game for Cleveland in the regular season.
Admittedly, Schroder's 38.1 percent shooting from the field leaves a sour taste, but he's proven to be capable of much more.
The move for the veteran makes even more sense when considering the downswing of Alex Caruso's regular-season playing time. The increasing amount of rest for Caruso and the uncertainty of Stirtz's immediate impact make the Schroder acquisition a safety blanket off the bench.
The move for him feels more than logical, especially given the Hornets' team landscape
Charlotte Hornets dealing former Thunder guard seems imminent
After trading away LaMelo Ball earlier this summer, the Hornets are very clearly near the bottom of the Eastern Conference projections. At almost 33, Schroder is a red dot on youthful Charlotte's blank canvas.
Playing with 11 teams in 13 years, it's hard to imagine that the partially rebuilding Charlotte will be the team he sticks around with. The Hornets moving or buying him out is the much more likely option, and OKC should be first in line to get him.
Swapping out Topic for Schroder is a great deal for Charlotte, to the point where Sam Presti will likely be able to get another pick or two from the deal on top of the seasoned guard.
In the conceivable reality that Topic doesn't work out for the Thunder, Dennis Schroder would be a viable, effective replacement who could serve as a steady pulse for the Thunder bench.
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