After plenty of speculation surrounding his future, the Lu Dort trade has finally materialized, but did the Thunder make the most out of this move? Oklahoma City sent Dort to Atlanta in a three-team trade Sunday — teaming him up with Aaron Wiggins, who was traded earlier this month.
Considering it was weird for OKC to pick up Dort’s team option, this trade was coming sooner or later. That’s because the Thunder were hoping to escape the second apron while keeping their best players. Now, it all makes sense. GM Sam Presti deserves more respect at this point.
Lu Dort Trade: Grading OKC’s Big Move
But walking away with three second-round picks? It seems that the Thunder may have sold low on this one. However, considering that Dort is coming off a down year, maybe this was the best they could get.
Picking Up Dort’s Option Made Sense
The Lu Dort trade was quite expected for one thing: the Thunder’s goal to at least move down to the second apron. As the extensions for Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren start to kick in, it’s only inevitable that Oklahoma City’s expenses will begin to blow up.
Size has been a focus for OKC, especially when they signed Isaiah Hartenstein in 2024. Now that they’ve sealed the IHart extension, there is little wiggle room to keep everyone. The previous trades involving Isaiah Joe and Wiggins hinted at the Thunder’s goal to shave off their expenses.
BREAKING: The Oklahoma City Thunder trading All-Defensive wing Lu Dort to the Atlanta Hawks in a three-team deal that sends three second-round picks to OKC, former No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher to the Dallas Mavericks and Ryan Nembhard to Atlanta, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/4ewUxhRQA5
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 19, 2026
While many were surprised when Dort’s option was picked up, it was clear he’d either get traded right away or would have to wait until February to be moved at the deadline. Sunday’s deal created much-needed cap relief in the form of a $17 million trade exception.
Dort for Three Second-Rounders?
An All-Defensive player with great offensive upside, Dort was definitely worth more than three-second rounders. It’s easy to realize that OKC needed to move on from him. But in doing so, Presti followed a familiar pattern in acquiring picks.
Averaging 8.3 points and 3.5 rebounds on 38.5% shooting (the second-best in OKC), that stat line isn’t really impressive for most. Dort was definitely in his worst season than before, but it goes without saying that his role definitely regressed over the previous campaign. However, settling for three second-rounders isn’t definitely the best they could have got while sealing away Dort’s future.
2020’s leaders in 3PM for OKC:
1. Lu Dort: 862 (35.8%)
2. Isaiah Joe: 681 (41.5%)Both gone. pic.twitter.com/O5raqm6jbf
— Thunder Muse (@ThunderMuse_) July 19, 2026
The Thunder have stacked up for the future yet again, and there’s always more they can do with second-round picks. They’ve had a knack for finding the best talent possible late in drafts — just look at Ajay Mitchell — and there’s high hope that they’ll do it again with their newfound assets.
A B+ Grade for the Lu Dort Trade
This trade is essentially a win for the Thunder because they get to sit out of the second apron. This means they won’t have to endure some taxes right away, but it also shows that they’re paving the way for Cason Wallace. The 22-year-old showed some impressive potential last season, and his extension may be coming after this move.
Dort getting traded does, however, fracture the Thunder’s chemistry. They are losing one of their key defenders and one of their heroes of the 2025 title run. After all, he was their longest-tenured player. Now, that title belongs to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
These 3 Lu Dort 3’s in a row in the 4th quarter of game 5 of the 2025 WCSF will go down as one of, if not the most important on-court sequence in Thunder history so far. pic.twitter.com/rZfPmXvokr
— Thunder Film Room (@ThunderFilmRoom) July 19, 2026
Pushing for the Lu Dort trade is still a good move by Presti. Now, the Thunder will have to see if it pays off on their end. For Dort, he’ll soon earn more playing time with the Hawks and be reunited with another OKC fan favorite in Wiggins.
© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
