Lu Dort trade: Sam Presti reveals the truth: “It was a financial decision”

The Lu Dort trade to the Atlanta Hawks was undoubtedly one of the biggest surprises of the NBA offseason. After seven seasons, an NBA championship in 2025, and becoming the defensive face of the franchise, few expected Oklahoma City to part ways with one of its most iconic players.

General manager Sam Presti addressed the move directly, offering a transparent explanation without making excuses.

It was a financial decision. The savings we created this summer, along with the money we saved by avoiding the luxury tax over the last several years, will be reinvested into our future teams. Combined with new revenue streams, this will allow us to make more basketball-driven decisions in the years ahead

Sam Presti

His comments reinforce the idea that the Thunder are committed to maintaining maximum salary-cap flexibility while avoiding the league’s second apron (Adam Silver recently talked about it), the new financial threshold that heavily penalizes high-spending franchises.

The Thunder move forward without Lu Dort

Presti understands how difficult it will be to replace a player like Lu Dort, but he believes the team already has the pieces in place to take another step forward.

Losing Lu will definitely impact our team, but we’re in a position to reinvent ourselves and find new ways to win. Cason Wallace and Ajay Mitchell will take on bigger roles, along with several other players

Sam Presti

With this move, Oklahoma City significantly reduced its future salary commitments. Along with Dort, the departures of Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins cleared roughly $200 million in future salary obligations while allowing the franchise to stockpile seven second-round draft picks.

A departure that hit the entire locker room

The trade left a strong emotional impact on Dort’s teammates. Social media quickly filled with farewell messages, highlighting the respect and leadership he commanded inside the locker room.

Jalen Williams posted:

Tough day… go kill it, No. 5

Jalen Williams

Jaylin Williams took a lighter approach, writing:

Now who’s going to come crash into me every day

Jaylin Williams

Ajay Mitchell, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Chet Holmgren also shared Instagram stories dedicated to the Canadian, using broken-heart emojis and messages of encouragement as they wished him the best in Atlanta.

A heartfelt farewell from Oklahoma City’s mayor

One of the most emotional tributes came from Oklahoma City mayor David Holt, who reflected on how Dort’s arrival in 2019 coincided with the beginning of a new era for the franchise.

Holt recalled that the day Paul George was traded felt like the end of a chapter, but just hours later the Thunder announced the signing of an undrafted rookie named Luguentz Dort.

At that moment, no one could have imagined that the seeds of our city’s first NBA championship had just been planted

David Holt

The mayor also highlighted Dort’s importance to the organization’s rise.

Lu wasn’t just a key contributor to the 2025 championship. He was a leader, a cornerstone, and one of the most beloved players among our fans because of his suffocating defense. The ‘Dorture Chamber’ will forever be part of Thunder history. Oklahoma City will always be his home

David Holt

Was it really just about the money?

While the official explanation focused primarily on financial reasons, many observers believe basketball considerations also played a role in the decision.

During the Western Conference Finals against the Spurs, Dort struggled offensively. His defensive impact remained elite, but his inconsistency as a shooter limited Oklahoma City’s offense.

Now, with an open roster spot and increased financial flexibility, the Thunder could return to the market in an effort to build an even stronger roster around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, and Jalen Williams.

One thing remains certain: replacing a player like Lu Dort – a symbol of Oklahoma City’s resurgence and a key figure in the franchise’s 2025 NBA championship – will be far more difficult than the numbers alone suggest.