The Los Angeles Lakers missed on a golden opportunity to acquire Luguentz Dort after the 3-and-D wing was traded to the Atlanta Hawks for just three second-round draft picks. LA was rumored to be interested (subscription required) earlier in the offseason, and the Lakers have a massive perimeter defensive hole. Los Angeles has three second-rounders to trade, but they couldn’t pull off this deal.
The Thunder were projected to be over the second apron if they kept Dort. Fans knew Sam Presti would look to dodge the restrictions, especially with their spending expected to rise again in the 2027-28 season. Chet Holmgren’s playoff struggles made Dort the odd man out. The Lakers would have loved to capitalize.
Luka needs shooting and defense around him to be a serious title contender. It is why the Lakers signed-and-traded for Walker Kessler. Los Angeles is missing a perimeter defensive stopper. Dort was first-team All-Defense in 2025, and fans know Doncic could have maximized his shooting. It would have been perfect, but the Lakers couldn’t make the deal.
Lakers missed golden opportunity to trade for Lu Dort
The Thunder didn’t want to trade Dort to the Lakers. They knew he would be the perfect fit next to Luka. OKC lost to Doncic and the Mavericks in the second round of the playoffs in 2024, despite the Thunder being the top seed. Presti had no reason to help one of the biggest threats to knocking off Oklahoma City in the playoffs.
The Lakers would have had to significantly top this offer to win the bidding, and they should have. Dort was first-team All-Defense in 2025 and shot 41.2 percent from 3-point range. He was a starter and key rotation piece of a championship roster. The 6’4 wing is coming off a down season, but he is more than capable of making an impact on both ends of the floor.
The Lakers' retool around Luka leaned heavily into acquiring offensive talent. They are relying on Kessler to protect the rim and clean things up. That is a heavy burden for any player and could turn disastrous if the big man is forced to miss time.
The Lakers are looking for a versatile wing that can defend multiple positions. Dort is an elite option capable of locking things down at the point of attack. Three second-round draft picks are a small price to pay for a key rotation piece.
Dort is in the final year of his contract and wants a new deal. The 27-year-old is in his prime and on the same timeline as Doncic. There should have been no concerns about paying him.
The Los Angeles Lakers missed a golden opportunity to acquire Luguentz Dort after the Thunder traded him to the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday. OKC only got three second-round picks in return, but they saved millions and avoided the second apron. They also sent Dort to the Eastern Conference. The Thunder didn’t want to help Doncic and the Lakers, which prevented LA from making this trade.
Fans of the purple and gold should be disappointed, but there is a silver lining. Oklahoma City clearly sees the Lakers as a threat. They didn’t want them to get Dort. LA is building around Luka, and the best is still yet to come. The Lakers missed this chance, but they will soon be a legit title threat. Bank on that.
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