Defensive grit meets offensive struggles. Dort's minutes shrink as his shooting slump impacts team strategy and offensive flow.
Luguentz Dort has been a fan favorite since Oklahoma City signed him as an undrafted rookie during the 2019 offseason. But is the veteran starting to see his role diminish? He only logged 17 minutes against Minnesota and 18 minutes versus Orlando despite the fact that both of these contests were decided in the fourth quarter. Foul trouble was not a factor, either.
Dort’s perimeter defense remains elite, but he’s shooting just 37.4% from the field and 33% on triples this season while posting his lowest assist percentage since his rookie year. Overall, the Arizona State product ranks 231st out of 234 qualified players in the advanced metric Offensive Net Points per 100 Possessions. Only Nique Clifford, Patrick Williams and Draymond Green are worse in this metric. Yikes!
His poor shooting shrinks the court because opponents can place their center on him and subsequently have the big man sag into the paint to close driving lanes. This strategy simultaneously weakens Chet Holmgren because he is then guarded by a wing who nullifies Holmgren’s typical mobility advantage.
Oklahoma City has too many great backcourt options to justify 30 minutes per game for Dort’s catastrophically poor offensive impact. Ajay Mitchell is a budding star, while Cason Wallace provides elite defense and turnover creation with a bit more offensive juice. Isaiah Joe and Jared McCain are also knockdown shooters who warp defenses.
Now, this is not to say that Dort should be phased out of the rotation completely. His ability to guard big, physical scorers will be crucial during the playoffs, and he does have a couple of magnet ball games per series. But look for Mark Daigneault to be quicker than usual with the hook.
Dort’s minutes will also be matchup dependent. For example, the veteran likely plays a lot against the Lakers because of his excellent perimeter defense against Luka Dončić. On the flip side, Dort should not see the court much against San Antonio because his shooting woes are too devastating when Victor Wembanyama roams the paint.
Even if the veteran struggles in the playoffs and ultimately leaves during free agency this summer should Oklahoma City decline his team option (which seems likely given the team’s financial situation), Dort will always be remembered as a Thunder legend and key piece of the first championship in franchise history. “Luuuuuu” chants will continue to ring in Paycom Center and the new arena until he retires.