The Oklahoma City Thunder just declined Isaiah Hartenstein’s team option and re-signed him to a new contract. With his new deal, his salary for the 2026-27 campaign went down from $28.5 million to $23.1 million. If Lu Dort also takes a pay cut, then the Thunder would probably be able to keep him around.
Keith Smith of Spotrac reported that, with Hartenstein’s new extension, the Thunder are $10.2 million below the second apron. That’s without counting Dort or Kenrich Williams’ team option. That means, if the Thunder want to keep Dort, he would have to extend for around $10 million or less.
Hartenstein’s new contract paved the pathway for what it would take for Dort to return to OKC next season.
Isaiah Hartenstein contract shows how much Lu Dort can re-sign for
Heading into this summer, it was always clear that the Thunder had some financial work to do. They were always going to try to duck under the second apron. It was obvious.
So far, they’ve done just that by trading away Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe in salary-dump deals. Wiggins got shipped to the Atlanta Hawks, and Joe ended up on the Detroit Pistons.
But the Thunder still had some work to do after those two trades. Hartenstein’s contract restructuring was the first step in that plan, but OKC’s work still isn’t done yet.
Now, the Thunder still have to figure out if they plan on keeping Dort and Williams around. Those two have been in OKC for a while, and giving them up would be painful.
The decision with Williams may not be as difficult. Letting him go would sting, but it would be reasonable. He could also return to the Thunder on a minimum contract.
Dort is a different story. He’s been the lifeline of the Thunder organization for years. A staple in OKC. And he’s definitely worth more than a minimum contract, so that isn’t really an option.
So, the Thunder have a couple of options. One, they let Dort walk. Or two, they convince him to take a pay cut significant enough that they can remain under the second apron.
Hartenstein’s extension set that number at around $10 million or less (probably closer to $8 million, to be safe). That’s what Dort will have to sign for (at least, in his first year) if he wants to stick around in OKC.
The Thunder will be under the second apron next year. The only question is whether or not Dort will be on the roster.
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