Lakers have two reasons not to pursue Thunder guard Lu Dort this summer

The Los Angeles Lakers will be looking for the type of 3-and-D skills that Luguentz “Lou” Dort brings to the Oklahoma City Thunder on a daily basis this offseason. Dort himself will be a free agent if the Thunder choose to decline his $18.2 million team option for 2026-27.

It’s not hard to imagine a Dort fit in Los Angeles, especially now that he’s represented by Klutch Sports Group, the agency run by LeBron James’ friend, Rich Paul.

But before you start painting Dort purple and gold, there are two factors to consider that really make the Lakers signing Lue a potentially losing decision.

Marcus Smart is a cheaper/better option than Lu Dort for the Lakers

According to a recent estimate from NBA insider Sam Veseni, if Dort’s option is declined by the Thunder, he stands to make something in the range of $17 million per year on the open market. Meanwhile, according to Veseni, Lakers guard Marcus Smart — who is expected to decline his player option and enter the market — is projected to demand around $12 million per year.

Smart and Dort are similar players, even though Dort is smaller and a more consistent shooter. But with Smart likely to be significantly cheaper, and with the already established relationship with Luka Doncic and the Lakers’ style under head coach JJ Redick, it makes a lot of sense that L.A. would prefer Smart over Dort here.

Also, keep in mind that if the Thunder were to pick up Dort’s team option, the Lakers could still trade for Dort, but they would have to surrender a first-round pick to the Thunder to do so. This leads us to the second reason why LA should stay away from Dort.

Dort can exercise his club option, meaning the Lakers would have to give up assets to get him.

The idea of ​​Thunder GM Sam Presti (Lord of Draft Picks) sending a first-rounder and giving up additional player assets to Oklahoma City for Dort isn’t warming anyone’s heart inside LA’s front office, nor should it.

The Lakers already lack trade assets, which doesn’t make them a likely contender for a big move like Giannis Antetokounmpo. Surrendering more of those assets to a role player like Dort — when the Lakers already have a chance to re-sign Smart without losing anything except some cap space — doesn’t seem like the right move at all. Don’t make 2026 the summer of Dort, Lakers!

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