Oklahoma City Thunder
Why It Makes Sense for the Portland Trail Blazers
Although the sample size is small, Luguentz Dort has proven himself early on in his young career to be capable of locking down the best guards in the league. During the Thunder’s first-round series versus the Rockets, he guarded James Harden as well as anyone has over the past eight seasons.
This includes a masterful game seven performance in which he held Harden to just 17 points on 4-of-15 shooting while pouring in 30 points of his own. Having a player like that on the Trail Blazers immediately takes pressure off Lillard and McCollum on the defensive end, allowing them to thrive on offense.
Dort’s struggles come mainly on the offensive end. He has a propensity to punch above his weight by shooting more than his role requires, such as in his 3-for-16 game five performance versus Houston. But in a dynamic offense such as Portland’s, his struggles can be hidden as he develops on that side of the ball.
Not only would his play be invaluable for the Blazers’ defense, but Dort also brings with him one of the best contracts in basketball. For the next three years, Dort is making just over 5.6 million total, making him practically negligible cap-wise.
Why It Makes Sense for OKC:
It would take a lot for the Thunder to move on from such a young talented player so early in his career but making a big offer right off the bat may be enough to make OKC bite.
As of now, it’s up in the air if Dort will ever develop on offense enough to be any more than an Andre Roberson type player whose offensive shortcomings limit his overall effectiveness. If the Thunder lack confidence in Dort’s ability to improve his shot they may be willing to move on from him.
OKC has a lack of young big men on the roster, with Darius Bazley and the little-used Kevin Hervey being their only two big men under the age of 26. Bringing in Wenyen Gabriel on a sign-and-trade would give the Thunder potential at a position where they desperately lack it.
With Danilo Gallinari set to leave in free agency, Gabriel could immediately slot into the backup power forward role behind Bazley and provide good defense along with a budding, albeit raw, offensive game.
The 2021 first-round pick would help force the Thunders hand. Not only would they be receiving another young prospect in return for Dort, but they would also be adding to their host of first-round picks over the coming years. This trade would bring that total up to 15 over the next six seasons.