Luguentz Dort has always been appreciated by the Thunder community as an elite defensive player, but he finally broke through on the national stage last season and made NBA All-Defensive First Team. 

Dort is a certified superstar slayer on defense, but his offense has significant warts. Check out three areas that need serious uplifting. 

Interior scoring  

Dort struggles mightily to score around the basket, as he sank only 49.3% of his paint attempts last regular season. That mark ranked 283rd of the 321 players with at least 100 attempts, per NBA.com. 

His overall touch is suspect, especially when trying to use the backboard or shooting in traffic. Dort often looks rushed, like he is throwing up a shot without intent. 

Interior scoring is, unfortunately, a difficult area to improve because of the natural barriers in his way. For example, Dort only stands 6-foot-4 tall and lacks explosive burst and lift. He’s firmly a below-the-rim player. 

Touch and feel are largely innate skills, too. Dort’s career 3-point renaissance is solid evidence that he can shatter developmental expectations, but it appears to be an unlikely outcome. 

Off the catch 

Opponents were heavily contesting Dort’s spot-up opportunities in order to chase him off the 3-point line. They wanted the Arizona State product to put the basketball on the floor and try to create something for himself or teammates. 

It’s a rational plan because Dort has morphed into an efficient perimeter shooter, especially from the corners. 

His decision-making and dribbling off the catch are also extremely poor relative to NBA standards. Inefficient paint scoring is a huge factor, so fixing one area also helps another. 

Finally, of the 270 players with at least 1000 minutes played last season, Dort ranked 219th in self-created shot making – a metric by Basketball Index that adjusts efficiency on self-created shots for degree of difficulty. As a side note, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the NBA in this metric. 

If Dort can make small strides in his passing and scoring off the catch, then it would be a boon for Oklahoma City’s offensive versatility. 

Shooting consistency 

In six of his seven career playoff series, Dort’s 3-point percentage has been either above 44% or below 32%. He’s one of the streakiest shooters across the NBA during the playoffs, which is a blessing and a curse. 

Becoming a more consistent shooter would increase the Thunder’s offensive floor, allow more lineup flexibility, and punish defenses that pack the paint. 

Fortunately, Oklahoma City has legendary shooting coach Chip Engelland on its staff. If there is anyone who can lead Dort to another level, it’s Engelland.

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