Isaiah Hartenstein, Lu Dort Want to Stay With Thunder Amid Uncertain Future: Here’s What Makes Sense for OKC

Sam Presti has some decisions to make and negotiating to do with Thunder players who have team options for next season.

Isaiah Hartenstein and Luguentz Dort both have team options with the Thunder this offseason | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The Thunder came up one game short of their NBA title defense on Sunday, when the team lost to Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals. Anything short of a championship is a loss for Oklahoma City, which now has a crucial offseason ahead to set its roster up for further success both next year and well down the road.

General manager Sam Presti has already positioned the Thunder roster to continue as one of the NBA’s powerhouses for years to come, even with the Spurs’ emergence. The core trio of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren is locked down through the end of the decade, with key contributors like Ajay Mitchell, Alex Caruso and Jared McCain all under team control for at least two more seasons. Plus, Presti and the Thunder are still reaping the benefits of their treasure trove of draft picks acquired through masterful trades, which can be used to bring in additional depth or to further improve the roster as needed.

That said, the Thunder are facing the dreaded second apron and a humongous luxury tax bill, as Holmgren and Williams’s rookie extensions kick in next year and Gilgeous-Alexander’s massive new deal begins in the 2027–28 season. Isaiah Hartenstein, Luguentz Dort and Kenrich Williams, meanwhile, each have a team option for next season, leaving their future with the franchise uncertain and in Presti’s hands.

Less than 24 hours after the disappointing end to Oklahoma City’s 64-win season, Hartenstein, Dort and Williams addressed the media and discussed how much they love being a part of the franchise.

Isaiah Hartenstein, Lu Dort and Kenrich Williams share their thoughts on upcoming team options

Isaiah Hartenstein defended Victor Wembanyama after Mark Daigneault made an adjustment in the Western Conference finals | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

Hartenstein has the biggest team option of the bunch; the Thunder must make a decision on his $28.5 million salary for next season. That would make him the team’s highest-paid player outside of Gilgeous-Alexander, Holmgren and Williams. In 2025-26, he made more than anyone aside from the two-time MVP.

Although Hartenstein arrived in Oklahoma City on a three-year, $87 million contract (and as the best big man on the free-agent market during the 2024 offseason), it’s fair to question whether the Thunder can keep him at close to $30 million while the rest of the roster gets increasingly expensive.

“We just lost yesterday, so at the end of the day, that's something that will be discussed more at the end,” Hartenstein said Sunday via The Oklahoman’s Justin Martinez. “I love being here. I love the organization, but it's a lot in their hands. I think that them and my agent will talk. It's a business at the end of the day. But whatever happens, I'm truly grateful."

While it certainly sounds like Hartenstein would like to return for another run at the title, it also sounds like he’s well aware that his big team option may not make sense for the Thunder and could lead to him signing elsewhere.

Dort’s option is more affordable at $17.7 million, but that’s still a large number for the salary cap gymnastics Presti and his front office must pull off. The 27-year-old wing has played for the Thunder for all seven of his NBA seasons and is an elite perimeter defender and longtime starter in Oklahoma City. Dort made first team All-Defense last year, but his offensive production has steadily decreased, which makes paying his near-$20 million salary tricky. It’s clear that he wants to remain with Oklahoma City, and the franchise likely shares the same sentiment, but Dort’s option or a new, long-term contract is a big decision for the Thunder front office.

"The conversation hasn’t happened yet,” Dort said about his uncertain future, via The Athletic’s Joel Lorenzi. “I have a lot of trust in this organization, in Sam [Presti]. Really grateful for all the stuff he did for me to this point. I want to stay here. This organization, this city, shaped me as a player. My main goal is to stay here."

Williams is in the same boat; regarding his upcoming $7.2 million option, he said, “It’s no secret that I want to be here until I’m done playing." His role decreased slightly this year, but he still brings the Thunder depth and can defend and hit three-pointers at a high rate.

The chance to play alongside Gilgeous-Alexander and remain with the team that, again, had the best record in the NBA might encourage a returning player to do the organization a solid. But that’s not a given—money talks, after all.

The Thunder must negotiate new, multiyear contracts at a more affordable price to keep their roster in place

Lu Dort has been with the Thunder for seven seasons | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Since Hartenstein, Dort and Williams all have team options for next season, each is eligible to sign a contract extension with the Thunder, too. That gives Presti the most reasonable path of declining one or all of those salaries to offer a lesser annual contract in exchange for a longer term contract. That might not be what’s best for each player individually, but it would ease the Thunder’s books while retaining one or multiple of its longtime players in the process.

Dort and Williams may be the most likely to sign a new contract with a lesser annual value. Dort averaged 8.3 points per game this season, his lowest total since his rookie year in 2019–20. He’s on the floor to play defense, so he still should net a decent new contract, but it’s unlikely Presti would want to pay a defense-only player $20 million per year. That brings the best of both worlds, as Dort could secure a multi-year deal that keeps him with the Thunder until he’s close to 30 years old. Williams, 31, will likely need to take a smaller deal should Oklahoma City retain him, and he was clear that he wants to remain with the franchise until his career is over.

Hartenstein is the tricky one, as he could net more than the Thunder would be willing to pay him on the open market. Oklahoma City could decide to move on from Hartenstein altogether and fill the hole he'd leave elsewhere. Third-year wing Cason Wallace is eligible for an extension this summer, which, if reached, would put even more salary on the Thunder’s books in future years. If Hartenstein works out a new contract at a discount, he’d need multiple seasons and potentially a player option to do so. A longer-term deal at anything close to or above $20 million per season would be a big commitment for the Thunder as the price of their roster continues to grow.

After the loss to the Spurs, Gilgeous-Alexander told reporters he was going to sit back and let Presti work his magic.

"I will give zero input, I will let Sam Presti, the greatest GM ever, do his job,” he said. The MVP might be able to convince his friends and teammates to come back, but that may not be necessary, as Oklahoma City’s winning culture speaks for itself.

An interesting offseason is in store for the Thunder, even with the core of their roster under contract for years to come. Now, the franchise needs a big favor from one or more of its key players.

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