There appears to be some good news and bad news for Oklahoma City Thunder forward Luguentz Dort.
The Thunder are expected to pick up their $17.2 million team option for next season on the veteran Dort, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported on Saturday. Scotto notes however that Oklahoma City is then expected to consider flipping Dort on the trade market.
Dort, 27, is tied with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the longest-tenured player on the Thunder (since 2019). A former First Team All-Defensive selection, Dort’s hard-nosed 3-and-D skillset was crucial in helping OKC win the 2025 NBA championship (though Dort has also come under fire for his allegedly dirty style of play).
The Thunder, who lost in this year’s Western Conference Finals to the San Antonio Spurs, already have three massive contracts on their books with Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren. That means they need to be somewhat tight-fisted with the rest of their roster, and that is where role players like Dort come in.
Earlier this month, we learned that OKC was very likely to keep one other key member of their frontcourt heading into the 2026-27 season. As such, Dort’s $17.2 million team option for next season is the most logical place for them to do so trimming from there.
The reigning back-to-back MVP Gilgeous-Alexander does really seem to want Dort back on the Thunder roster next season. But picking up Dort’s team option to ensure he gets paid and then flipping him for a potentially younger and more cost-controlled asset might represent the best outcome for all parties involved here.
