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By Matthew Couden
Contributing Writer
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The Oklahoma City Thunder appeared on the verge of reaching the NBA Finals for the second-straight time, and many believed they were the favorite to repeat as champions.
However, things fell apart when they ran into a young, talented, and hungry San Antonio Spurs team in the Western Conference Finals, with Victor Wembanyama and company eliminating them in a tough seven-game series.
The Thunder were also missing a few key players, with starter Jalen Williams hurt throughout the postseason, and reserve player Ajay Mitchell also suffering an injury in the playoffs.
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Their disappointing exit quickly brought debates and speculation about the Thunder making some big offseason changes. Based on recent indications, including Monday's ESPN report regarding Lu Dort, the team is sticking with the players that helped them succeed.
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The Thunder have decided to pick up Dort's $17.7 million team option for the 2026-27 season, keeping him on the roster, which makes plenty of sense. Dort has been on OKC for his entire five-season career, and he and two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are the longest tenured members of the roster.
Last season, the 27-year-old Dort played and started in 69 games, averaging 8.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. However, the biggest aspect of his game is his defensive prowess, as he was named to the NBA All-Defensive First team after the 2024-25 season, joining the Golden State Warriors' Draymond Green and Cleveland Cavaliers' Evan Mobley among others.
He showed those defensive abilities throughout the playoffs in the past two OKC runs, playing a crucial role as a starter for the Thunder once they were missing the aforementioned Williams and Mitchell from the lineup against tough competition.
As of this writing, Oklahoma City is still considered the favorite to win the championship next season, with +250 odds to win it all compared to San Antonio's +260 odds at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Often, when a team struggles to return or repeat as champions, analysts suggest making huge offseason moves to be able to contend or address personnel issues. Deciding to keep Dort and other key members of the roster around SGA should go a long way to keep them in contention for another championship.
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