A Western Conference executive reportedly considers Oklahoma City Thunder’s Lu Dort as a “must have” offseason target for Luka Doncic’s Los Angeles Lakers. The Purple and Gold didn’t have the defensive personnel to be one of the better teams on that end. Coach JJ Redick extracted the best out of his available resources to make the Lakers solid down the stretch and in the NBA playoffs.
They had Marcus Smart as their only viable option at the point of attack. Jarred Vanderbilt was their alternate option, but he struggled to find minutes due to his lack of offensive output. With a roster built around Doncic, Austin Reaves and potentially a 42-year-old LeBron James next season, Los Angeles will need a difference-maker on defense.
Here’s what the executive said as per a report from NBA insider Sean Deveney released Sunday:
“I think if you’re the Lakers, you want to be front and center on some of those guys. Lu Dort is the guy who could just come in and change your entire perimeter defense. He’s a must-have if they can get him. That’s been a problem for them for so long. But if you have Luka (Doncic), you need 3-and-D guys and he’s on another level.”
Dort is arguably in the top tier of perimeter defenders in the NBA. He has the kind of impact that doesn’t show on the box score. While Dort had a down year offensively, he’s one of the few players in the NBA who is elite defensively and can space the floor.
He shot 34.4% from 3-point range this season, but made 39.4% of his shots from distance in the 2023-24 season and a career-high 41.2% in the 2024-25 season. Dort made the All-Defensive First-Team that year.
He could automatically slot in as a starter in the frontcourt alongside LeBron James at the small forward position.
Exploring how the Lakers can acquire Lu Dort and if the Thunder would be open to moving him
The Thunder hold the cards in deciding Lu Dort’s future. He has a team option worth $17.7 million. The Thunder can opt in and retain him on an expiring deal or let him enter unrestricted free agency.
They also have the option to opt in and trade him. All signs point towards the Thunder moving on from Dort to avoid the luxury tax penalty and salary cap restrictions with Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams’ max contract extensions kicking in next season.
So the Lakers will have multiple avenues to pursue Dort if they wish to. The easiest would be in free agency, as Los Angeles is the only contender with cap space. However, it remains to be seen if the Thunder manouvre a way to recoup value on Dort via a sign-and-trade.
If they do, the Thunder could pursue a player like Rui Hachimura (via sign-and-trade, as he is a free agent) in return or ask Los Angeles for future draft assets. The Thunder may also salary dump other role players in the deal if they want Hachimura and the Lakers agree to such a package.
Isiah Joe, Kenrich Williams and Aaron Wiggins could be among those the Thunder may include in that hypothetical trade scenario.
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