The Oklahoma City Thunder enter a pivotal offseason after a 64-win campaign ended one game short of the NBA Finals, and one of the franchise’s biggest internal decisions could center on Luguentz Dort’s future. According to ESPN’s Anthony Slater and Tim MacMahon, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is expected to privately support Dort during upcoming contract discussions despite publicly distancing himself from roster decisions.
An hour after Oklahoma City’s 111-103 Game 7 loss to the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals on May 30, Gilgeous-Alexander told reporters he would avoid influencing front-office choices. “I will give zero input,” he said. “I will let Sam Presti, the greatest GM ever, do his job.”
However, Slater and MacMahon reported Tuesday that sources familiar with Gilgeous-Alexander’s thinking expect the Thunder star to emphasize to management how important Dort remains to the team environment and on-court identity. The two Canadian teammates are the franchise’s longest-tenured players and have developed alongside Oklahoma City’s rebuild into contention.
Dort’s contract situation creates a difficult basketball and financial question for the Thunder. The 26-year-old wing has an $18.2 million team option for next season, but Oklahoma City’s payroll is projected to rise significantly before the draft, free agency, and option decisions are finalized.
ESPN reported the Thunder’s salary projects to reach roughly $250.5 million next season, a figure beyond the NBA’s projected second apron and one that could trigger a tax bill exceeding $200 million. That reality has led league executives to speculate for months about whether Oklahoma City may eventually trim salary or make some role players available.
From a basketball standpoint, Dort’s value extends beyond traditional scoring numbers. He averaged 8.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, and shot 34.4% from three across 69 starts during the 2025-26 season, while continuing to handle difficult defensive assignments on opposing perimeter stars.
The Thunder’s roster construction also complicates the decision. Cason Wallace, who averaged 8.6 points and earned All-Defensive Second Team recognition while starting 58 games, profiles as a potential long-term replacement in the starting lineup and will eventually be due for a larger contract beginning in the 2027-28 season.
For Oklahoma City, the calculation goes beyond replacing production. Dort has been a foundational defensive piece during the franchise’s rise and remains one of the roster’s toughest perimeter defenders, an archetype that becomes especially important in playoff series against elite guards and wings.
The financial side may not favor sentiment. ESPN noted that Dort switched representation this season from Thaddeus Foucher to Klutch Sports agent Mike George, a move league observers do not view as signaling interest in a discounted, team-friendly arrangement.
