OKC Thunder End of Season Report Card: Lu Dort

The Oklahoma City Thunder capped off a brilliant 2023-24 campaign with a 57-25 record that saw the Bricktown boys win their first playoff series since 2016. Despite falling in six games to the eventual Western Conference Champion Dallas Mavericks in the second round, the Thunder season could be described as nothing short of a success.

As the year concludes, it is time for our OKC Thunder End of the Year Report Card to cycle through every player on the roster to give them a final grade mark and project into the future. Today it's Lu Dort's final exam.

Season Recap

The Oklahoma City Thunder earned a top-five defense and offense both of which can be attributed to Dort.

Offensively, he enjoyed his best shooting season thanks to a more composed style that led to higher-quality shots.

Defensively, Dort represents one of the best perimeter defenders in the league highlighted by his efforts on Brandon Ingram and Luka Doncic in the playoffs.

This season, Dort averaged 10.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.5 stocks per game while shooting 43 percent from the floor, 39 percent from the floor and 82 percent from the charity stripe.

Grade: A- the defensive ace improved in every area the Thunder wanted him to enter this season, there are not many red marks on his report.

What to improve on

The Oklahoma City Thunder have already seen Dort make huge strides as a player in year four. With the Arizona State product admitting to a new shot diet - cutting out the wacky, wild and reckless drives to the rim that hurt his efficiency, Dort enjoyed a career-best shooting splits.

Though, the next step in his progression will be staying in that mindset no matter the outside factors. While his teammates have to improve in big moments being willing to take a shot, the lone time Dort reverted back to bad habits was in the Mavericks series. Regardless of his teammates making the right decision instead of out-of-control drives will always work out in OKC's favor.

While Dort enjoyed a career year at the cup he still converted at just a 57 percent clip at the rim. Finding ways to utilize his frame and finish through contact.

As his calling card is on the defensive end of the floor, the only adjustment to be made on that side of the floor is a difficult one - a level of discernment of when to jump a screen in an attempt to draw an illegal screen. Attacking the outside hip works wounders for Dort in getting these calls, but can also throw the Thunder's best defender out of a play when the whistle is not blown.

As the officials continue to change how they call the game, picking up on these patterns early in games will be a key for the defensive ace - something he does a good job of more often than not.

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