T[] castBuffer = (T[]) buffer;
    Arrays.sort(castBuffer, 0, bufferSize, comparator);
    if (bufferSize > k) {
      Arrays.fill(buffer, k, buffer.length, null);
      bufferSize = k;
      threshold = buffer[k - 1];
    }
    // Up to bufferSize, all elements of buffer are real Ts (not null unless T includes null)
    T[] topK = Arrays.copyOf(castBuffer, bufferSize);
    // we have to support null elements, so no ImmutableList for us