Luguentz Dort leaving the Thunder? Skip Bayless makes his prediction
Despite his desire to remain with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Luguentz Dort could become part of the franchise’s financial strategy. The luxury tax looms large over Sam Presti’s decisions
Imagine declaring for the NBA Draft after a standout freshman season at one of the NCAA’s most prestigious programs and never hearing your name called.
Then imagine, with one eye on the G League and the other on Europe, someone opening the door to the world’s top basketball league that summer with a two-way contract, placing their trust in you not only during the Regular Season – a reasonable scenario for a franchise in the midst of a rebuild – but also in a hard-fought Playoff series.
That opportunity alone, combined with the central role he maintained as the project matured, would be enough to justify unwavering loyalty and a desire to finish his career with the same franchise that first believed in him. The 2025 NBA championship was simply the icing on the cake.
That desire was made clear by Luguentz Dort following Oklahoma City’s painful elimination at the hands of the San Antonio Spurs: his hope was to retire with the team that first gave him a chance, the Oklahoma City Thunder.
However, Skip Bayless sees things differently. In his view, the Canadian guard could very well be forced to move on, especially if the franchise exercises his $18 million team option.
Dort said he wants to retire as a Thunder player, and that’s not going to happen. I’m ready to bet he won’t be a Thunder next year
Skip Bayless
Questions surrounding Dort’s future and other contract situations
Dort’s seventh NBA season once again highlighted both his strengths and his well-known limitations. Still one of the league’s premier perimeter defenders, the Arizona State product failed to improve his effectiveness from beyond the arc. His disappointing 31% three-point shooting during the postseason allowed the Spurs’ defense to aggressively sag off him and reinforced the notion that the 41% mark he posted during the 2024-25 regular season may have been an outlier.
The decision to assign Victor Wembanyama to Alex Caruso defensively could also be interpreted as a clue regarding the front office’s future plans. Dort remains a defensive cornerstone and retained his place in the starting lineup, but he is no longer the only elite specialist available to Oklahoma City.
His situation is just one of several major offseason decisions facing the franchise. This summer, Sam Presti and the Thunder will also have to address the team options of Isaiah Hartenstein ($28.5 million) and Kenrich Williams ($7 million).
The complexity of the financial picture was highlighted by NBPA-certified agent Lucas Burns:
OKC is so deep into the luxury tax that simply signing the two rookies selected with the 12th and 17th picks will add approximately $80 million to their 2026-27 luxury tax bill
Lucas Burns
It’s still a long way from an outright departure, but for the first time in years, Luguentz Dort’s place in the Thunder’s long-term plans no longer appears untouchable. Between financial constraints and an increasingly deep roster, Oklahoma City’s offseason could force difficult decisions—even when it comes to one of the franchise’s defining faces.