After picking up the final year of Lu Dort's contract earlier this month, curiosity is now at an all-time high when it comes to what the OKC Thunder plan to do with their veteran two guard.
Opting out of his $17.7 million payday for 2026-27 would have automatically brought the franchise below the dreaded second-apron threshold heading into next season.
Because they elected to keep him, many are wondering whether the Thunder plan to offload him at some point before February's trade deadline or simply ride out the campaign with him in tow and pay the tax penalties that come as a result.
If they were to shop him, Heavy Sports' Sean Deveney has revealed one NBA GM told him that Dort "is a popular target,” a bit of a surprise considering the objectively down year he just had from both a shooting (38.5 percent clip from the floor) and overall impact (minus-2.0 box plus-minus) standpoint.
However, Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander reportedly wishes to see his long-time running mate stay put for the upcoming campaign.
Should this happen, of course, there are a slew of questions about what his role might look like.
Would he remain a regular starter, like he's been for the vast majority of his tenure? Should coach Mark Daigneault move him to the pine, and cement Cason Wallace as the future of their shooting guard position?
While there seem to be many possible routes the Thunder could take when it comes to sorting out Dort's future, deciding on one is far from simple.
Second-apron will prevent Thunder from landing enticing haul for Lu Dort
Even if the Thunder did decide to trade Dort at some point between now and February, it's hard to imagine they would land anything all that meaningful in exchange for his services.
Due to the limitations that come with the second apron, the All-Defensive talent would only be able to be shipped out in exchange for a package that brings back no added salary and, say, underwhelming draft capital in return or for a lower-cost contract within the $4 million range.
Think Dalton Knecht, for example.
The thought of offloading a starter from Oklahoma City's championship run for a non-factor player or an Isaiah Joe-esque return is far from enticing.
Unless the Thunder have a change of heart about their willingness to pay the second-apron penalties that are heading their way, or can find a way to bring back a first-round pick in a deal, it may be wise to just ride out the year with a proven commodity like Dort in the fold.
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