It’s no secret that Lu Dort‘s future hangs in the balance heading into next season. But will he impress OKC enough to get another deal? The Thunder shocked many critics when they picked up Dort’s team option. Considering that they are actively trying to avoid the second apron, this move didn’t address it at all.
In fact, some even claim Dort needs to be traded at the very least. But the message is clear: the Thunder are giving their All-Defensive player another shot to prove his worth. After all, he’s been a good rotational piece alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren.
Lu Dort’s Future With OKC Remains Uncertain
But as the Thunder hope to keep contending in a wild Western Conference, they have got to improve. Dort’s production clearly dipped this past season. Now, he must show that he’s worth keeping at all, considering that his contract isn’t getting any cheaper.
Dort Needs to Be a Better Scorer
It’s no secret that Dort’s 3-point shooting fell worse than most would expect. He had two fair years of decent shooting from deep, proving that the 3-and-D role was solely his to begin with. He shot 39.4% in 2023-24, then 41.2% in 2024-25, and was a crucial part of the Thunder’s run to the Finals last year.
This season, however, Dort’s offense regressed. It marked the first time he shot below 40% from the field after two straight seasons as a 43% shooter. His perimeter shooting fell to a meager 34.4%, which is the lowest mark he’s had since 2022-23. That said, 2025 Playoff Dort was really something else.
I know I bring it up a lot but the Lu Dort moonball pic.twitter.com/nM3edwDh7f https://t.co/pgCJiclXrD
— 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒆 🌩 (@Three_Cone) April 17, 2026
OKC takes pride in having solid two-way players, and it’s safe to say that Dort didn’t really step up on offense. In fact, his 8.3 points per game were the fewest he had since his rookie season, and the first single-digit average after five straight years of being a double-digit scorer.
The Dorture Chamber Has to Step Up
As the longest-tenured player on the team, Dort has become a fan favorite and is well-known for his defensive exploits. But after being named to the All-Defensive First Team in 2025, Dort didn’t meet the same standards the following season. He’s proceeded to have defensive mishaps, which led to fines and plenty of flagrant and technical fouls thrown his way.
The Dorture Chamber is a real thing, and it has kept opponents locked down for so many years. However, things haven’t been going Dort’s way so far, and he’s clearly not at the same level he was at last year. To be fair, had it not been for Holmgren’s blunder game against the Spurs, the series loss would have been blamed to Dort’s inability to shut down San Antonio’s guards.
Lu Dort was horrific during the SA series, and throughout the year. This hasn't been discussed enough how bad his season was.
The Thunder being the 1 seed again and Chet receiving most the blame for the playoff series loss has shielded proper criticism of Lu Dort's performance.
— OKC Thunder Stats (@ThunderNumbers) July 14, 2026
Dort has been a capable defender since he entered the league, famously known for his lockdown defense on James Harden in 2020, and even on Tyrese Haliburton — leaving the latter scoreless in Game 5 of the 2025 Finals. We’ve seen Dort take on tougher assignments over the years, but it seems that even his defense is starting to wane.
Dort’s Value is Replaceable
Here’s where it gets tricky. The Thunder have built their roster around the big three. The rest of the squad is replaceable — hence the treasure trove of draft picks that Sam Presti has traded for over the years. With Alex Caruso and Cason Wallace becoming pivotal contributors for OKC, it’s safe to say that a Dort trade may be imminent should he not impress in the coming season.
Sadly, that’s just the way it is for Oklahoma City. With a squad full of talent and players capable of making their presence felt, a roster spot has never been permanent for some. Just ask Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins, who were traded to Detroit and Atlanta, respectively.
Lu Dort on his Team Option this summer
“I want to stay here” pic.twitter.com/o4j8GdCR3S
— Andrew Schlecht (@AndrewKSchlecht) May 31, 2026
Still, that doesn’t make this a curtain call for Dort. He has a whole offseason to improve his game on both ends of the floor, and there’s a high chance that he will bounce back next season. Hopefully, that leads him to sign a better deal with the Thunder moving forward.
© Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
