Bennett Stirtz struggles from deep vs. Atlanta

Coming off a 13-point effort in Sunday’s blowout loss to the Warriors, Stirtz had his best game of the summer on Tuesday. The 16th overall pick in last month’s draft shot 50 percent from the field, including a 6-of-10 night from inside the arc. Stirtz committed four turnovers, but the Thunder were likely encouraged by his overall performance. Given Oklahoma City’s perimeter depth, achieving fantasy relevance as a rookie will be challenging for Stirtz. However, he has the scoring and playmaking ability needed to compete for a bench role when training camp opens in the fall.

After struggling from deep for most of Oklahoma City’s three games in Salt Lake City, Stirtz was a solid 3-of-8 from beyond the arc on Friday. The four turnovers weren’t great, but he generally took good care of the basketball as a collegian, so there isn’t much to worry about there. Given Oklahoma City’s perimeter depth, they won’t have to ask too much of Stirtz immediately. As a result, he’s likely to be more valuable in dynasty leagues than redraft leagues.

Stirtz didn’t have a standout debut for OKC, but he had some fun flashes and showcased why the Thunder traded up to get him. As an older rookie, he should be ready to contribute from day one as a shooter and playmaker, and he was also able to force some turnovers in the loss. Stirtz won’t pop in fantasy in year one, but he should be a reliable ball handler for them at times.

The one constant throughout Stirtz’s college career was his head coach, Ben McCollum. The talented guard played two seasons for McCollum at Northwest Missouri State before both moved to Drake ahead of the 2024-25 season, and then onto Iowa. Last season, Stirtz averaged 19.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.4 steals and 2.5 three-pointers, shooting 47.7 percent from the field and 84.8 percent from the foul line. In addition to being one of the best shooters in this class, Stirtz is a capable playmaker. He’ll provide additional perimeter depth in Oklahoma City, which gave up the No. 17 pick and two future second-round picks to get the deal done. However, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander running the show, Stirtz’s fantasy ceiling in redraft leagues will be limited.

Topić, who missed the entire 2024-25 season with a torn ACL, did not make his NBA debut until February 12 after undergoing treatment for testicular cancer. According to the Thunder, Saturday’s lumbar procedure was “minimally invasive.” While he will not participate in summer league, the second-year guard is expected to be a full go when training camp opens in late September. Topić’s chances of cracking the rotation depend on what happens in free agency, as Luguentz Dort has a team option for next season worth just over $17.7 million.

Topić got his second straight start, which allowed him to record his second straight double-double. Having been diagnosed with cancer in October, Topić miraculously made his NBA debut in February, but he played a limited role up until the last two games. He still has plenty of upside, and he’ll likely be in the rotation for OKC next season. However, he won’t see the floor much during the playoffs.

Dort, who needs to play in one more game to be eligible for postseason honors, is the lone starter available for Friday’s game. Of the four replacements, McCain and Wiggins offer the highest ceilings for those in active fantasy leagues.

Topić began chemotherapy treatments in late October after being diagnosed with testicular cancer. While he will be available to play on Monday, the rookie still does not have a return timeline for NBA games. Topić is unlikely to affect redraft leagues this season, but he should still be rostered in dynasty leagues.

Topic had to undergo a testicular procedure in the offseason, and Presti revealed that the procedure was a biopsy to determine if the 20-year-old had cancer. Unfortunately, the results came back that Topic was indeed dealing with testicular cancer. Topic has begun chemotherapy treatment, and Presti said that the medical team is confident that he will make a recovery. Obviously, there has been no discussion about his timeline to return to the court, and the main goal is simply to ensure his health and well-being.

Topić, who played 31 minutes in his preseason debut Sunday evening, underwent a testicular procedure on Monday. Unfortunately, the rookie, due to be part of the reigning champions’ bench rotation, will not be available when Oklahoma City opens its regular season. Given the reported timeline, there’s a chance Topić will be good to go before Thanksgiving. His absence likely means second-year guard Ajay Mitchell will have an opportunity to earn rotation minutes as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s backup. Mitchell would not be a draft-worthy player in most fantasy leagues. The 12th overall pick in the 2024 draft, Topić has yet to make his official NBA debut, as he missed all of last season with a torn ACL.