NBA Mock Draft 9.0: Chicago Bulls jump into top 3; Reed Sheppard soars into top 3

In our latest NBA Mock Draft, the Chicago Bulls jump into the top 3 and the hype surrounding Reed Sheppard strengthens.

Saint Peter's v Tennessee
Saint Peter's v Tennessee | Jared C. Tilton/GettyImages
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12. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Houston) - Nikola Topic, G, Serbia

The Oklahoma City Thunder will head into the playoffs with the hope of making some serious noise. Even though many teams don’t necessarily jump from a Play-In Tournament team one year to a potential conference finalist, that’s the barrier the Thunder will be looking to break this playoff run.

Nevertheless, heading into the offseason, the Thunder are going to have a first-round pick thanks to previous trades. With this first potential selection, Nikola Topic is a potentially intriguing option for the Thunder. Adding another playmaker next to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander could take some pressure off him on one hand, and at the same time offer a potential long-term answer in the backcourt for him.

Topic is a mystery prospect, but does have the potential to be an exciting playmaker at the next level. He could be exactly what the Thunder could be looking for as a backup option to an already talented young backcourt.