Oklahoma City Thunder executive vice president and general manager Sam Presti said the trade that shipped guard Luguentz Dort to the Atlanta Hawks was driven strictly by budget considerations.
“This was a financial decision,” Presti told The Oklahoman’s Justin Martinez while discussing the July 19 deal that sent the 27-year-old defender to Atlanta without the Thunder taking back salary.
Projected $100 Million in Savings
Cap analyst Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron estimates that moving Dort, along with the contracts of Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe earlier in the offseason, will trim roughly $100 million in salary commitments and luxury-tax penalties for Oklahoma City. The move also leaves enough room under the NBA’s second apron for the club to add a 15th player this season without incurring further tax hits.
Presti noted that staying out of the tax in recent seasons, combined with “well-documented new revenue streams,” positions the franchise to keep its core intact as it pursues additional titles.
“The impression I have been given is that the savings generated this summer, and from being out of the tax the last several years, will be reallocated to future teams,” he said. “Along with other new revenue streams, this will allow us to make more basketball-related decisions over the next several years.”
A Difficult Goodbye
Dort went undrafted in 2019, developed into one of the league’s top perimeter stoppers and played a prominent role in Oklahoma City’s recent championship run. Presti acknowledged that parting with the guard was emotionally challenging.
“I love the guy, love what he’s about, and we will miss him,” Presti said. “I remember telling him that draft night is only the beginning. It’s safe to say he’ll finish near the top of that class.”
Roster Evolution
With Dort now in Atlanta, Presti said the Thunder will not simply plug Cason Wallace or Ajay Mitchell into his former role. Instead, the organization plans to “embrace change” and adjust its style of play.
Oklahoma City is expected to enter the second apron next season once Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s supermax extension begins, and Wallace becomes extension-eligible as well. Presti believes this summer’s savings give the club flexibility to address those impending costs without dismantling a roster he described as “capable of contention.”
The Thunder open training camp this fall with 14 guaranteed contracts and one open roster spot.
Source: Hoops Wire
