Thunder Guard Lu Dort's Offensive Ceiling Could Be Higher Than Expected

Oklahoma City spent the summer locking down its core, and Dort is part of the future.

Lu Dort has improved in nearly every area since he signed with Oklahoma City as an undrafted free agent. After signing a lengthy extension for a well-deserved $82 million extension.

He remains Oklahoma City’s best defensive player, and is one of the most disruptive on-ball defenders in the NBA. This season, Dort will lead a Thunder defense that could end up being one of the better units in the league.

His improvement on the offensive end has been one of the most impressive storylines to follow over the course of his young career though.

Dort started his career as a key contributor on a playoff team, but was a liability from long distance. Teams would dare the Arizona State product to shoot 3-pointers, especially in the first round of the playoffs. 

Now, fast forward three seasons, and Dort will likely be Oklahoma City’s second leading scorer for the second straight season. Last year, he took a career-high 7.7 3-point attempts per game, which is a big reason why he averaged 17.2 points per night. Is it crazy to suggest he could make the leap to 20 points per game with a few tweaks?

Many people still question Dort’s offensive fit in Oklahoma City’s backcourt, but his ceiling on that end of the floor could be higher than expected. He’s added new parts to his game every offseason, and injecting youth and talent onto the roster will only help his efficiency. Sam Presti obviously saw enough potential in him to lock him down for the next five seasons, and maybe he sees a legit two-way threat developing. Dort may never be an All-Star, but for the Thunder to compete for championships, he’ll have to be an All-Star role player.

With Chet Holmgren missing the year, Dort will have an opportunity to share a big chunk of the offensive load once again. It will be the perfect opportunity to experiment and gain valuable reps. The more time Dort is able to spend on the floor with Josh Giddey and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the better, as that trio will keep the Thunder in games most nights.

Yes, Dort’s value is on the defensive side of the floor, but his offensive ceiling could be higher than most think. He’s improved every season and was playing some of his best basketball before the shoulder injury.

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