Isaiah Hartenstein didn’t hide how he feels about Lu Dort no longer being in Oklahoma City.
The Thunder’s 2026 offseason has already reshaped the roster in a major way. Aaron Wiggins, Isaiah Joe, and Dort are all gone from the team that won the 2025 championship, and the moves helped clear enough financial room for Oklahoma City to sign Hartenstein to a long-term deal. Even then, Hartenstein had to take a pay cut so the Thunder could remain under the second apron.
That backdrop makes Dort’s departure hit a little harder inside the locker room. Since 2019, Dort and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had been the two familiar faces on the roster through the Thunder’s lean years, and their presence had become part of the team’s identity. General manager Sam Presti was faced with a difficult call, and the decision was tied directly to the Thunder’s financial situation and their need to stay in line ahead of the 2026-27 season.
For Hartenstein, one of Dort’s closest friends on the team, the move brought the kind of reaction you’d expect from someone who spent a full season side by side with him.
"There's always a human element involved. You probably spend more time with your teammates than with your own family over the course of the season.
So you do grow very close. But at the end of the day, we all know it's a business.
I think Sam Presti at least put him in a good position," Hartenstein said about Dort's exit to Celement Almanza of the Thunder Wire.
That’s the NBA in a nutshell: real relationships on one side, hard business on the other. Hartenstein’s comments make it clear that the bond is still there, even if the uniform is different now. Dort will move on to the Atlanta Hawks, where his defense, leadership, and championship experience should give them a boost.
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