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Thunder’s Cason Wallace leaves no doubt about thoughts on Lu Dort appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Oklahoma City Thunder made quite a few changes to their roster this offseason just so they could get underneath the dreaded second apron. They traded away three members of their 2025 championship-winning team, chief among them being Lu Dort, their starting shooting guard/small forward since 2019.
The Thunder had to trade Dort away to the Hawks to cut their tax bill; this may be a necessity in today’s NBA, but it doesn’t dampen the impact of his loss whatsoever on OKC.
While OKC should still be one of the best teams in the league even without Dort, and they should still boast the best defense in the NBA thanks to the presence of elite perimeter defenders like Cason Wallace and Alex Caruso, Wallace made it clear that Dort left such an indelible impact not just on the team, but to himself personally as well.
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“Shoutout Lu. In my opinion, the best on-ball guard defender in the league. He’s so solid. He doesn’t gamble too often. He’s one of the best. I’ve learned a lot through Lu. He’s one of the best guard defenders in the league for sure. Toughest assignment every night. Easily, it’s him,” Wallace said, per Clemente Almanza of USA Today’s Thunder Wire.
Dort was essential in establishing the Thunder’s gritty identity, and he did take on the most difficult matchups on a nightly basis. Alas, OKC has seemed to outgrow Dort, and with Dort’s declining offensive contributions and the rise of Wallace, the Thunder felt like they were equipped to handle his departure.
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Wallace is expected to move into the starting lineup, and his presence also complicates the Thunder’s future cap sheet, as he will be up for a huge contract extension soon enough. But considering how Wallace performed in the 2026 NBA playoffs, OKC may have to prepare to write a blank check just so they could keep the 22-year-old for the long haul.
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