Everyone knew that the OKC Thunder's roster was not getting out of this offseason unscathed. Rising payroll costs meant choices had to be made, such as parting ways with Luguentz Dort. The end result could be a stronger, more dangerous Thunder down the road, one ready to win another title.
After the Spurs eliminated the Thunder from the 2026 playoffs and the Knicks won their first championship in 53 years, OKC's title win feels like a lifetime ago. The smart money was on the Thunder to repeat, given how intact their core was. That just didn't happen for them.
This put OKC in a tough position. Several players were due for major pay increases, putting the team deep in the penalties. That would mean draft restrictions, financial punishments, and more, all of which were issues general manager Sam Presti was smart to avoid. They could be franchise killers.
So, Presti worked his magic by drafting well and making smart trades. The end result has been payroll flexibility, an updated roster, and future planning, all hallmarks of the Thunder under Presti's leadership. That being said, the cost was high, and these moves have to pay off to justify them.
The Thunder gave up a lot to plan for the next title
Giving up Lu Dort, Andrew Wiggins, and Isaiah Joe was a bitter pill to swallow for Thunder fans. All three were big parts of the team, keeping in mind that Dort, in particular, was key to their 2025 championship. But these were incredibly difficult moves that absolutely had to be made.
These trades saved OKC a reported $317 million in luxury and payroll taxes from the league. Because of this, the Thunder were also able to retain Isaiah Hartenstein, turn Cason Wallace into a starter, and create room for young stars like Jared McCain to develop as part of a reinvigorated team.
That's now. These trades also allow the Thunder to continue to plan for the future. Presti acquired seven second-round draft picks instead of players in exchange for Dort, Wiggins, and Joe. His war chest of draft picks remains impressive and will help him to keep building towards the next title.
Watching a guy like Dort leave Oklahoma City was probably as hard for Thunder fans as it was for Wolves fans to see Naz Reid head for Charlotte. But trusting Presti's vision and decision-making skills got OKC a championship. Doing the same in this situation will likely get them another one.
Add us as a preferred source on Google