Sunday, the OKC Thunder opted to put an end to Lu Dort's long and beloved tenure in the Sooner State, as GM Sam Presti shipped him out to the Hawks as part of a three-team deal that netted three second-round picks and a substantial amount of salary cap savings in exchange.
While the move was clearly financially driven and created an incredibly valuable TPE along the way, Oklahoma City's decision to ultimately part ways with the veteran was likely heavily influenced by the fact that they have the young, promising Cason Wallace in tow, who will now presumably be the successor to Dort as the club's starting two guard.
Frankly, this is a role the 22-year-old has been ready to claim for quite some time now.
Since being drafted 10 overall back in the 2023 NBA Draft, Wallace has only flashed his potential of becoming a two-way stud in the association. From his steady long-range shooting stroke (sports a 37.4 percent clip for his career) to his scrappy style of play on the less glamorous side of the ball, the Kentucky product has made a name for himself as one of the league's brightest rising stars.
2025-26 proved to be his best so far with the Thunder, as he earned All-Defensive Second Team honors and posted per-game averages of 8.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.9 steals while shooting 35.1 percent from deep.
Now, with the departure of Dort, it seems Wallace will be presented with a golden opportunity to take yet another step forward in his career and make his publicly expressed desires of "getting better" become a reality in a starting capacity with OKC.
Thunder have only thrived with Cason Wallace in starting lineup
Though Wallace has primarily been utilized in a reserve role, throughout his three-year career with the Thunder, he's also found himself slotting into the first five lineup on multiple occasions.
The results in such contests have been nothing short of top-flight successful.
Over the past two regular seasons, specifically, the Thunder boast a record of 85-16 (84.2 percent win percentage) with Wallace in a starting role.
Last season, OKC went 49-9 in such contests and, with Wallace on the floor, placed in the 94 percentile in point differential (plus-11.9), the 96 percentile in opponent turnover percentage (17.6), and the 97 percentile in opponent points per 100 possessions (105.7).
Needless to say, there's no denying the kind of elite-level impact Wallace has already been able to have on the Thunder during his still very young tenure.
Now, he has a chance to raise the bar even higher by running alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, and Isaiah Hartenstein in the starting five.
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