Part of the reason the Oklahoma City Thunder did not clinch their berth in the NBA Finals for the second consecutive season, despite having a great opportunity to do so at home in game seven, was Lu Dort. He’s a starter on the Thunder and typically a massive contributor, but he struggled mightily in the 16 minutes he played, with just three points on 1-4 shooting, which could lead the LA Clippers to sign him (declined team option) for a discount this summer.
Another reason the Clippers could get him for cheap is that his role was lessened by Mark Daigneault in the Western Conference Finals. In fact, in four out of the seven games for the Thunder, Dort played under 20 minutes.
That’ll definitely play a role in what he’s worth this summer.
Dort might’ve had a rough WCF, but he’s still a great player
The struggles Lu Dort faced in the Western Conference Finals, on both sides of the ball, should not scare the LA Clippers. He’s one of the best defensive guards in the league, can shoot the lights out of the three-ball, and is a culture guy LA needs at this point in time.
In fact, just last season, Dort made the first-team All-Defense and finished fourth in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
This is a good look to go along with his averages of 8.3 points and 3.6 rebounds during 2025-26, which tremendously helped the Thunder obtain the first seed, win 64 games, and sweep through the first two rounds.
That said, the value is clearly still there, and this should be the motive for pursuing him on the open market.
Regarding the deal, the Clippers could easily offer less than $10 million per year for about 2 seasons. This dodges the long-term obligation for a bargain, giving Lawrence Frank exactly what he wants.
Now comes the fit, and Dort will be like a match made in heaven for the Clippers.
There is no doubt that he would be a coach’s pet to Jeff Van Gundy, considering that defense and physicality are what the top assistant prioritizes, and could also be of massive assistance in lineups that are centered around Darius Garland, who has a tendency to struggle to guard on the perimeter.
All in all, Dort is worth paying a reasonable dollar sign for in the offseason. There are far more pros than cons, and though he didn’t do great when the Thunder needed him, he is still capable of being extremely beneficial.
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