They traded away three members of their 2025 championship-winning team, chief among them being Lu Dort, their starting shooting guard/small forward since 2019. The Thunder had to trade Dort away to the Hawks to cut their tax bill; this may be a necessity in today's NBA, but it doesn't dampen the impact of his loss whatsoever on OKC. Easily, it's him,” Wallace said, per Clemente Almanza of USA Today's Thunder Wire. Dort was essential in establishing the Thunder's gritty identity, and he did take on the most difficult matchups on a nightly basis. Alas, OKC has seemed to outgrow Dort, and with Dort's declining offensive contributions and the rise of Wallace, the Thunder felt like they were equipped to handle his departure.