The Oklahoma City Thunder made a bold move on Sunday, trading the 6’4” defensive wing Luguentz Dort to the Atlanta Hawks in a three-team deal with the Dallas Mavericks for three future second-round picks.
Earlier this offseason, the front office dealt Aaron Wiggins to Atlanta and Isaiah Joe to Detroit for two second-round picks each, bringing Sam Presti’s draft haul this summer to seven second-round picks while avoiding luxury-tax penalties under the NBA’s strict salary cap.
Marc Stein Weighs In on OKC’s Future Plans Post Lu Dort Trade
Dort signed a 5-year, $87.5 million contract with the Thunder in 2022, which runs through the 2026-27 campaign, and includes a $17.7 million option.
Instead of letting the 27-year-old walk away or turning down his option, the Thunder opted to trade him to duck the NBA’s second luxury-tax apron, creating a $17 million trade exception. By moving Dort, Joe, and Wiggins, the front office strategically cleared roughly $224 million in payroll and taxes combined.
NBA insider Marc Stein broke down why OKC made the hard choice to part with its longest-tenured core member.
“As for Sunday’s trade … You can certainly understand the Thunder’s thinking,” Stein reported on The Stein Line.
“By picking up Lu Dort’s nearly $18 million team option for next season in late June and then trading him, they managed to collect some draft capital (three decent second-round picks) as they were escaping the dreaded second apron. Oklahoma City’s hope is to now seal contract extensions this offseason and next offseason with Cason Wallace and Ajay Mitchell.”
Stein added, “Sportico’s Lev Akabas, meanwhile, illustrated in his latest standout statistical graphic another possible motivation for Oklahoma City’s decision to ship out the 27-year-old even though Dort was the Thunder’s longest-serving player: The rugged swingman had a rough Western Conference finals against San Antonio.”
Locking down Wallace and Mitchell is a clear priority for OKC. During the 2025–26 season, Wallace played in 77 games, averaging 8.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.6 assists while shooting 43.2% from the field.
Meanwhile, the 24-year-old Mitchell appeared in 57 games and averaged 13.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists while shooting 48.5% from the field. With him on the court, the Thunder posted a record of 50–7.
This is management’s long-term strategy to keep the franchise’s championship window wide open, even if it means sacrificing core depth. Thunder’s GM called Lu Dort’s trade “a financial decision.”
“This was a financial decision,” GM Sam Presti told The Oklahoman. “The impression I have been given is that the savings generated this summer, and from being out of the tax the last several years, will be re-allocated to future teams.”
By securing financial flexibility, the Thunder hoped to retain young talents like Cason Wallace and Ajay Mitchell down the road without being obstructed by luxury-tax penalties.
