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Chet Holmgren, an All-Star big man set to enter his fourth season with the Thunder, offered best wishes to Luguentz Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe, who left Oklahoma City in separate offseason trades. Dort, a perimeter stopper and longtime starter, and Wiggins, a reserve wing, will join the Atlanta Hawks. Joe, a backup shooting specialist, was sent to the Detroit Pistons. "That's how the business of this game goes," Holmgren said at a USA Basketball Foundation charity event in Southern California. "No team, all 17 guys, sticks together forever. But it doesn't make it hurt less when you see guys go. At the same time, I'm excited for [Dort and Wiggins] and the opportunity they're going to have in Atlanta. I'm happy for whatever major milestones they reach over there."
While Dort is on an expiring $17.22 million contract, the Hawks want to keep the Canadian swingman beyond this upcoming season, league sources told HoopsHype. Several teams expressed trade interest in acquiring Dort before he was traded to Atlanta, including the Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn Nets, Toronto Raptors, and Miami Heat, league sources told HoopsHype.
You said at your season-ending press conference that the second apron wouldn’t prevent you from keeping this version of the Thunder together. But if we saw changes, it would be finances that would force a transaction, like the one we saw with Lu Dort. Is that still the case? Sam Presti: Yes, that’s accurate. We were comfortable being over the second apron with this team and how we were uniquely constructed. We have been consistent with that view for a few years now. This was a financial decision. 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 re-allocated to future teams. Along with other new well-documented revenue streams, this will allow us to make more basketball-related decisions over the next several years.
Sam Presti: I remember meeting Lu at the practice facility door the morning after he went undrafted. I showed him around and we had breakfast together. He didn’t touch his food. I just remember saying to him that this was the beginning and not the end, that on draft night things are aligned vertically 1-60, but the morning after everyone is lined up side by side horizontally at an imaginary starting line. It’s safe to say that he will finish amongst the top of that race. I love the guy, love what he’s about and we will miss him. Losing Lu will certainly have an effect on the team, but I think we are positioned well to reimagine ourselves and continue to find new avenues to win. Cason (Wallace) and Ajay (Mitchell) will have more responsibility, as will others. But, as has always been our belief, it is necessary to embrace change and not fall victim to trying to imitate ourselves or our previous play style. As we do at the beginning of each season, we need to give the team space to discover itself once again. Losing three tremendous players and professionals is not easy and our margin for error will be smaller than it has been for some time, but I’m excited to see how we come together.
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SiriusXM NBA Radio: "This is also because the Thunder want to extend Cason Wallace this summer and they want to extend Ajay Mitchell next summer" @TheSteinLine talks to @talkhoops about OKC trading Lu Dort to the Hawks Hear Deals and Dunks weekdays at 1 PM ET sxm.app.link/DealsAndDunksL
Brad Rowland: Per source, here are the official pick details for what the Hawks sent out in the Lu Dort / Zaccharie Risacher trade: - Top-55 protected 2027 to Dallas - 2031 most favorable of ATL/HOU to OKC - 2032 most favorable of ATL/LAL to OKC (So 2 real second round picks and 1 very fake one.)
Eddie A Johnson: The @okcthunder will not be the same without Lu Dort! All the guys they have let go of were important to their team, but Dort was the physical presence they had while everyone else is finesse.
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Yossi Gozlan: Oklahoma City Thunder after trading Lu Dort. They save $100 million and have enough second apron space to sign a 15th player without going over. They will be in the second apron next season once Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's supermax kicks in. Cason Wallace also extension-eligible.
Yossi Gozlan: Atlanta Hawks cap situation after trading Zaccharie Risacher for Lu Dort and Ryan Nembhard. Dort is currently extension-eligible for up to three years, $67 million over the next six months. He could get more after. Nembhard will become a restricted free agent after this season.
Yossi Gozlan: There are zero teams projected to be in the second apron this season. This would be the first time it’s happened since the second apron has been implemented.
