The Atlanta Hawks were able to land defensive stopper Lu Dort over the weekend as part of a three-team trade that featured many moving parts.
The Atlanta Hawks were able to land defensive stopper Lu Dort over the weekend as part of a three-team trade that featured many moving parts.
But based on a report from NBA insider Michael Scotto, the Hawks weren't the only team connected to the wing. It sounds like a variety of teams expressed interest in Dort before the trade to Atlanta came together.
"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," Scotto wrote.
The final trade featured the Hawks, Oklahoma City Thunder and Dallas Mavericks. Each team received multiple pieces in the deal. Here is how it all broke down:
- To the Hawks: Lu Dort and Ryan Nembhard
- To the Mavs: Zaccharie Risacher and 2027 protected second-round pick (via Atlanta)
- To the Thunder: 2027 second-round pick (via Dallas), 2031 second-round pick (via Atlanta) and 2032 second-round pick (via Atlanta)
The fact that there was evidently a pretty robust trade market for Dort cements the idea that he's seen as a valuable role player around the NBA.
His track record backs that up. After going undrafted in 2019, Dort got a chance with the Thunder, which he took immediate advantage of. Before long, he was in the starting lineup, a development that ultimately helped shape the next several years of Thunder basketball. He wound up starting 423 of his 432 appearances during his OKC tenure.
Across his seven years with the team, he showed a lot. He averaged as many as 17.2 points per game in a single season, but he really flourished when his role allowed him to serve as an ace on defense and a floor-spacer on offense.
In the 2024-25 season, he earned All-Defensive First Team recognition, shot 41.2 percent from beyond the arc and helped OKC win the NBA Finals.
That's the type of player Dort can be, so it makes sense that the Hawks not only struck a deal to acquire him but also want to keep him around beyond the 2026-27 season.
The Nembhard factor also shouldn't be overlooked in the trade. Although less of a household name than Dort, Nembhard just had a strong rookie season with the Mavs in which he averaged 6.6 points, 5.3 assists and 2.2 rebounds per game. He is another piece that could make a difference for Atlanta.
The Hawks did have to give up some assets to make the deal happen, but depending on how the chips fall, it could end up being a good one for the franchise.
