Change is bound to happen in Oklahoma City. Making any sort of substantial alteration just one year removed from an NBA Championship would be unwise, but there's no reason to believe they won't address some immediate concerns for flexibility and maximize their title window.
The Hawks should capitalize. Only having to run into them twice in each regular season, they make perfect sense as potential trade partners. The assets they may be looking to part ways with, as well, would fit right into the culture they're trying to build in Atlanta.
A team can never have too many proven defensive stoppers, and Lu Dort, even with his diminishing reputation as an impactful player, could be the core piece the Hawks have been waiting for.
Dort is the most realistic player to depart from OKC's established core
It all comes down to what they prioitize financially, and there's plenty of reason to believe Dort will ultimately be the odd man out. Each of their stars' extensions kick in next season, and it just so happens that they have an expensive team option decision to make with Dort as well.
He's not the only one with a murky future with the defending champions. Sooner rather than later, they'll have to decide whether or not to keep Isaiah Hartenstein, Cason Wallace and Ajay Mitchell for the long-term.
All of those guys, however, do seemingly have priority over Dort. It's a bit unfair, given how vital he was to their championship run and their historic 2025-26 regular season, but nonetheless, it appears his time in Oklahoma City is coming to an abrupt end.
It's crazy how much a poor postseason performance can alter the trajectory of a franchise and its key rotation players. If it truly is the end of Dort's tenure with the Thunder, the Hawks would be smart to show a level of interest in free agency.
Dort would present Atlanta with a very intriguing short-term fit
He wouldn't be a player they'd have to commit any significant long-term money to, which makes the idea of bringing him in that much sweeter. The size of the contract they could offer him would likely depend on the crucial decisions they're soon to make regarding CJ McCollum and Jonathan Kuminga.
Even if they bring both of them back, Dort's market is unclear, meaning they could still look to acquire him for cheap. If they're able to complete such a deal, it would almost certainly be looked back upon as an impressive steal.
General Manager Onsi Saleh has done a quality job managing Atlanta's financial flexibility, and adding Lu Dort to the fold could be the perfect low-risk gamble for the organization to take.
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