The Oklahoma City Thunder have picked up their team option of veteran defender Luguentz Dort for the 2026-27 season.
Today was the deadline for the Thunder to decide what they were going to do with Dort’s $17.7 million option for next season. Reports were that the team was leaning towards picking it up, and that’s the case, as ESPN’s Shams Charania reported the team has picked the option up.
“The Oklahoma City Thunder are picking up forward Lu Dort’s $17.7 million team option for the 2026-27 season, sources tell ESPN,” Charania wrote on X.
Will Luguentz Dort Stay With the Thunder?
Although the Thunder did pick up Dort’s option, that doesn’t mean that he will be on the team’s roster next season.
Although “The Dorture Chamber” is one of the team’s lockdown defenders who was instrumental in winning the 2025 NBA Championship, he makes quite a bit of money, and for a team that is in danger of the second apron punishments, he could be moved out to another team for draft assets in a trade.
The Thunder could give his minutes to Cason Wallace, a younger player who is also an excellent defender.
Dort has been on the Thunder since 2019, and the Canadian has been a good soldier for the team. But with him making a pretty penny and the team facing salary cap punishments for going into the second apron, he could be on the move this offseason.
Thunder Decline Option on Kenrich Williams
While the Thunder picked up their team option on Dort, the team declined their team option on Kenrich Williams, which was for $7.2 million, according to NBA journalist Chris Haynes.
“Oklahoma City Thunder are declining the $7.2M team option on Kenrich Williams, making him an unrestricted free agent, league sources tell me,” Haynes wrote on X.
Again, the Thunder would have liked to keep Williams on the roster, but not at that number, though he may re-sign with the team on a cheaper contract.
We knew that Thunder GM Sam Presti would have to make some big decisions this offseason due to the realities of the NBA salary cap and the second apron. So far, the team has traded away Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe in cap dumps, and now they have declined their option on Williams, losing three players from their 2025 championship squad. Thankfully, though, they were able to keep Isaiah Harenstein and, for now at least, Dort as well.
Thunder Pick Up Option on Veteran Defender