Lu Dort's Departure Opens The Door For Cason Wallace To Have An Improved Role Next Season

The OKC guard will need to step into the role that has been left open with Dort's absence.

May 20, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace (22) shoots during the third quarter against the San Antonio Spurs during game two of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Thunder are counting on their young guard to step up in light of their latest trade. 

The Oklahoma City Thunder have seemed to have capped off their busy offseason with another trade, as the team has sent Lu Dort to the Atlanta Hawks for three second-round draft picks in a three-team trade also including the Dallas Mavericks. 

Dort wasn’t just a rotational player but a key piece to OKC, as he started in every game he played this season. Now, with a starting spot and more minutes per game open, the Thunder will need another player to step up to the plate and deliver. 

The most likely answer to filling Dort’s role is none other than Cason Wallace. Dort’s primary role was being a lockdown defender on the perimeter for Oklahoma City and a player who could hit the occasional three. Wallace himself has quite a similar role, and now he will have to fully step into it and make it his own. 

Wallace solidified himself in his third year as one of the best defenders in the league, as he was named to the All-NBA Defensive Second Team. Wallace averaged 1.9 steals per game this past season, one of the best averages in the league. Wallace has already started living up to the defensive side of Dort’s game, and he might already be the better offensive player. 

Dort used to be a key scorer for the Thunder, averaging over 10 points while shooting over 41% from three the season OKC took home its first championship. However, last season was a different story. Dort seemed to regress, only averaging 8.3 points per game, while shooting 34.3% from beyond the arc, and on the other hand, Wallace has only gotten better. 

Wallace came alive in the playoffs for OKC this past season, averaging 8.6 points and shooting 48.4% from beyond the three-point line. This included a stellar Game 7 performance in the Western Conference Finals, where he scored 17 points on 60% shooting. Now with Wallace having the opportunity to take the starting spot next season, he could begin to thrive even more. 

Dort will definitely be a piece that Oklahoma City missed next year, as the move seemed to be a financial decision more than anything else. However, Wallace is in a position to take this role and run with it, and truly allow the OKC squad to be even better next season.