Lu Dort was a starter on a championship team just two seasons ago.
An important one, at that. Irreplaceable, even. It doesn't guarantee him a similar role in a new situation, though. He's no longer with the 2025 champions. Following a down-year coming off of a ring, Dort was unexpectedly dealt to the Atlanta Hawks.
He'll fit right in with his new organization. They've adopted a fresh and obvious defense-first mentality, and adding another Defensive Player of the Year candidate to the mix will do much more good than harm, even with his offensive inconsistencies of late.
The priority he'll have in the depth chart, however, is uncertain. Atlanta has no reason to break up their starting five, even though some have been begging for a reactionary change.
Hawks will likely bring Dort off the bench, at least to begin the year
The five-man group of CJ McCollum, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu has been one of the league's most effective since the Trae Young trade in January.
It's what ignited trade talks regarding Zaccharie Risacher - who ultimately departed in the same transaction that brought Dort in - as McCollum's chemistry with the starters quickly became undeniable.
Ever since he was added, Atlanta went on a tear. While they still lost in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs to the eventual-champion New York Knicks, they gave them the best run for their money, pushing them to six games.
It was McCollum, in fact, who gave the Knicks their biggest scare. He knocked down back-to-back postseason game-winners. That's not sixth-man stuff. The rest of the Hawks would agree.
Dort, as great as he is defensively, would make the others have to adjust heavily if he's ever thrown into the starting group. There's potential upside there, but it shouldn't, and likely won't, come as early as the beginning of this upcoming season.
He could have an opportunity if Atlanta deals McCollum at the deadline
Now here's where it could get very interesting for Dort and those who want him in the starting lineup. The Hawks purposefully brought McCollum back on a one-year deal.
Their intent was simple. While, of course, they felt like he deserved another run with the team after his playoff heroics and leadership, they wanted a potential escape route if things either didn't go according to plan, or they just wanted to get assets for a quality player while they still can.
Optionality fueled the decision to bring McCollum back for just a year, and if Dort meshes extremely well with the starters, who knows? Maybe they'll deal the veteran and throw him in there with them.
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