The Oklahoma City Thunder are about to get a lot more expensive, which is why there is uncertainty about Lu Dort's future with the organization. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said after the season ended that he wouldn't give input on what Sam Presti should do this offseason. However, ESPN's Tim MacMahon reported that the superstar guard will "at least remind" the executive how much he "values" having Dort around.
Well, the thing is, even if SGA advocates for the Thunder to keep his fellow Canadian, even his words might not carry much weight given OKC's finances.
Dort has a $17.7 million team option for next summer that would push them well over the second tax apron if they picked it up. That is precisely why Sam Vecenie said on the Game Theory Podcast that he "assumes" the 27-year-old's time in Oklahoma is over.
Keeping Lu Dort would complicate things too much for Thunder
Dort isn't the only player with a team option this summer; Isaiah Hartenstein is the other, at $28.5 million. The difference with him is that, as ESPN reported, there is "strong anticipation among team and league sources" that the Thunder will either pick up the center's option or decline it, and the sides will agree to a new deal.
Keeping Hartenstein is far more of a necessity than Dort, especially after how the latter looked in the playoffs. He didn't help his case at all, certainly not justifying why the Thunder should even consider accepting the penalties that teams over the second apron get hit with. It wouldn't fully prevent OKC from making trades and signings, but it'd make it significantly more difficult.
The Thunder already have Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren's extensions kicking in next season. When you add in Hartenstein, regardless of what his new deal will look like, Cason Wallace's looming extension eligibility, and their 2026 picks (and they don't have room for all three), Dort is the odd man out. Yes, that is still the case if they do trade Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe
What Gilgeous-Alexander says holds weight, of course, but Oklahoma City also has to be realistic. In a perfect world, the Thunder could keep Dort and make everyone happy in the process. You know it's not that simple, as does SGA. It's the reality in today's NBA.
Coming to that conclusion won't be easy for the Thunder because of what Dort has meant to the organization over the past seven seasons, even if they already know that's what will happen.
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