For all the movement already around the Oklahoma City Thunder this offseason, the biggest question still hanging over the roster is Luguentz Dort.
Oklahoma City has already kept all three of its 2026 NBA Draft picks, landing Aday Mara, Bennett Stirtz, and Otega Oweh. It has also moved on from Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins as part of its effort to get closer to the second apron. But if the Thunder want to get below that line entirely, Dort may have to be the next name out the door.
Even after the Thunder picked up his $17.6 million team option for 2026-27, Dort remains the central offseason decision for Sam Presti and company. He still brings value as an on-ball defender and an off-ball perimeter shooter, which means there would be no shortage of interest if Oklahoma City made him available. But the Los Angeles Lakers, who had looked like his most aggressive possible landing spot, may already be out of the picture.
The Lakers’ offseason changed fast once word surfaced that LeBron James would be leaving Los Angeles after eight seasons with the team. That opened up flexibility, but they used it quickly, completing a sign-and-trade for Walker Kessler and adding Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili, and Collin Sexton in free agency.
Now, with Ziaire Williams signed, the Lakers have filled all 15 roster spots. They remain $10 million below the first apron, but the bigger storyline around them has shifted to a possible sign-and-trade with the Atlanta Hawks for Jonathan Kuminga.
That path is not simple either. Even if Los Angeles could send out Jarred Vanderbilt and Dalton Knecht to open a roster spot, Kuminga has stayed firm in asking for a salary around $25 million per year. If that number lands closer to $20 million, the move would wipe out the Lakers’ remaining financial flexibility for the offseason.
That matters for Dort because any Thunder trade would require the outgoing salary to be rerouted. With Los Angeles mostly set and short on flexibility, the Lakers no longer look like a realistic destination.
They were, up to this point, Dort’s most aggressive suitor. They checked in on him early in the offseason and had long been viewed as a strong fit for the swing guard. But Oklahoma City has also tended to send its depth pieces to Eastern Conference teams rather than Western Conference rivals.
That pattern has shown up repeatedly. Joe and Wiggins went to the East.
Ousmane Dieng was dealt to the Milwaukee Bucks at the trade deadline. Josh Giddey also ended up in the East in the Alex Caruso trade with the Chicago Bulls.
So if the Thunder do decide to move Dort, the market should still be there. The Charlotte Hornets, who moved on from LaMelo Ball this offseason and are reshaping their backcourt, are a possible fit. The Cleveland Cavaliers could also enter the mix if they miss out on James.
For now, though, the Lakers appear to be fading from the Dort picture just as the offseason begins to settle into place.
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