Thunder Prospect Evaluation: Lu Dort
A true diamond in the rough, Lu Dort has grown into a legitimate NBA starter with the Oklahoma City Thunder after going undrafted. Since being signed as an undrafted free agent in 2019 on a two-way deal, Dort has only gotten significantly better and is now on perhaps the most team-friendly full-time contract in the NBA.
Standing at 6-foot-4, Dort is built like a linebacker and makes life difficult for opposing scorers. Although his offense has drastically improved over the past season, Dort is still known primarily as a defensive specialist.
As each player in this series is evaluated, it’s important to consider the prospect they are now, but more importantly how they could look in five years when the Thunder are a competitive playoff team once again.
Last Season’s Numbers
While Dort was impressive as a rookie, he took an unprecedented leap in his second NBA season. As a 22 year old, he started in all 52 of the games he was healthy for last season.
On the season, Dort averaged 14.0 points and 3.6 rebounds per contest while shooting 34.3 percent from beyond the arc. That 3-point shooting efficiency was perhaps his most impressive statistical increase year-over-year and gives a lot of optimism about his offensive ceiling.
His defensive impact goes well beyond just the numbers, but Dort also accumulated 45 steals and 19 blocks in the shortened season.
Fit On Current Roster
With the way the Thunder are currently constructed, Dort should once again be a clear starter. Even with the rookie personnel making their way to Oklahoma City, he's considered a veteran on this roster and has earned his starting spot for at least the upcoming season.
This could be the first year in which Dort plays more than 30 minutes per game and really shows how much he can impact winning on both ends of the floor.
With that in mind, he'll also be the leader on the defensive end of the ball. Not only will he be tasked with guarding the opposing teams' best players, but Dort will be key in mentoring the young Thunder players on defense.
Both setting the tone in practice and making sure guys are in the right spot during games, the entire team's defensive success could sit heavily on his shoulders.
Long-Term Fit
Oklahoma City is clearly building a tall roster that can play positionless. With that in mind, Dort will have to continue to take strides if he's going to be a starter long-term. With his lack of height, other prospects like Aleksej Pokusevski and Josh Giddey could have an advantage when competing with him for minutes over the next handful of seasons as the team rebuilds towards contention.
While Dort is severely underpaid now, he's set for a large extension as early as next summer. Depending on how those negotiations go, his long-term fit on the team could change quite a bit.
If the Thunder are going to accumulate young talent through the draft in effort to be a playoff contender in several years, every player they give large contracts to should be projected starters when that time to contend comes.
Prospect Grade
B+
Dort is an excellent prospect, although he lacks the superstar ceiling. Unlike his teammate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who projects to be an All-NBA type player as early as next season, Dort's ceiling is likely a quality starter for a championship team.
With that in mind, he didn't project to ever be as good as he is, especially in his second year. Dort has shown the ability to make an impact on the game for both a playoff team as a rookie and a lottery team as a sophomore, which says a lot about his game.
Overall, there are still quite a few limitations to Dort's game, but he's still one of the top prospects on the Thunder roster.
