The NBA offseason has only just officially begun following Saturday's conclusion of the 2026 Finals, but rumors are already regarding what Shai Gilgeous-Alexander wishes to see from his OKC Thunder.
Or, rather, what he wishes not to see.
According to ESPN's Anthony Slater and Tim MacMahon, the two-time MVP is attempting to prevent long-time teammate Lu Dort's departure this summer, with the latter specifically saying Shai will "at least remind" the Thunder front office of how much he values the veteran's presence on the team.
This news comes at a time when many assumed Dort's $17.2 million player option for next season would likely be declined by the second apron-bound Thunder, a move some would say became a whole lot more logical following his recent postseason collapse.
Alas, the club's franchise cornerstone seems hell-bent on preventing such a parting of ways from taking place, which, in turn, could realistically result in the likes of Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe being sent packing.
If Thunder keep Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins are likely goners
This is more so due to Oklahoma City having an embarrassment of backcourt riches on its roster than anything Joe or Wiggins has done wrong.
Should the Thunder hold on to Dort, they'll need to find other ways to shed both salary and roster space ahead of next year's campaign.
Considering guys like Cason Wallace, Ajay Mitchell, and, to a lesser extent, Jared McCain are borderline untouchable at this point, this leaves the likes of Joe and Wiggins as the odd men out.
Frankly, moving on from the pair could actually be seen as a rather strategic move made by GM Sam Presti, for not only would it automatically open up two roster spots (assuming they don't take any full-time player back in return), but their departing salaries would shave a whopping $20.5 million from their lofty payroll, roughly $2 million more than Dort's would.
From their perspective, moving on from Oklahoma City could be more than welcome on account of the fact that they're simply too good of contributors to be spending their time at the back of the bench.
Both are championship-tested, instant offense wings who shoot 38.0 percent or better from deep for their careers and can buy a bucket from virtually anywhere on the court, attributes virtually every team in the league covets.
Wiggins, in particular, has been floated as a person of interest on the trade rumor mill over the last several months.
Should the Thunder wind up keeping Dort in tow, Joe and Wiggins seem like the most logical players to be shipped outbound via trade as a result. Fortunately, it's hard to believe finding them a new home would be all that difficult.
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