On the cusp of a busy NBA offseason, the Oklahoma City Thunder could see some notable roster changes for the first time in a couple of summers. Falling short of their back-to-back ambitions, it's time to shake up the roster as changes are inevitable in this industry.
Some departures might hurt more than others — at least from a sentimental perspective. Reading the tea leaves, it looks like the Thunder and Lu Dort are heading their separate ways in the coming weeks. The 27-year-old has spent his first seven seasons in OKC. He's tied with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for longest-tenured player.
Zooming out, Dort is one of OKC's best developmental success stories. He went from an undrafted rookie to an NBA champion starter. Along the way, he became one of the league's best perimeter defenders. Last season, though, he regressed on both sides of the ball. The defense wasn't as sharp and the outside shooting crashed back down to Earth.
As the year went on, Dort's playing time dwindled. And with Cason Wallace pounding on the door for both a contract raise and a graduation to a full-time starter, it makes all the sense in the world for the Thunder to move on from the former to get behind the latter.
Still, that doesn't mean an exit won't hurt. Dort is a fan favorite. He's one of Gilgeous-Alexander's close friends. He's also had a firsthand experience of seeing the Thunder go from a rebuild to an NBA champion. Always tough to see someone go who's had their best NBA moments in OKC.
Some departures might hurt more than others — at least from a sentimental perspective. Reading the tea leaves, it looks like the Thunder and Lu Dort are heading their separate ways in the coming weeks. The 27-year-old has spent his first seven seasons in OKC. He's tied with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for longest-tenured player.
Zooming out, Dort is one of OKC's best developmental success stories. He went from an undrafted rookie to an NBA champion starter. Along the way, he became one of the league's best perimeter defenders. Last season, though, he regressed on both sides of the ball. The defense wasn't as sharp and the outside shooting crashed back down to Earth.
As the year went on, Dort's playing time dwindled. And with Cason Wallace pounding on the door for both a contract raise and a graduation to a full-time starter, it makes all the sense in the world for the Thunder to move on from the former to get behind the latter.
Still, that doesn't mean an exit won't hurt. Dort is a fan favorite. He's one of Gilgeous-Alexander's close friends. He's also had a firsthand experience of seeing the Thunder go from a rebuild to an NBA champion. Always tough to see someone go who's had their best NBA moments in OKC.
4 months ago
