A summer filled with celebration nears its end. Only a little over a month exists until the Oklahoma City Thunder start the 2025-26 regular season. The NBA champion has enjoyed its accomplishments, but soon a new marathon will start with them at the top.

Bringing back mostly the same roster, the Thunder are the consensus title favorite. They’re viewed as a team that could pull off the rare feat of being a back-to-back NBA champion. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren all signed contract extensions this offseason to keep their title window wide open.

Advertisement

To prepare for the 2025-26 regular season, Thunder Wire will lay out three goals for all 17 players on the roster. OKC has 15 standard players and two two-way players. Let’s look at Lu Dort and what he could accomplish this upcoming year:

Stay in DPOY conversation

After five seasons of being left out of the conversation, Dort finally became mainstream last year. The Thunder sported the league’s best defense. Looking through defensive statistics, they were at the top or near it in every category. They leaned on that side of the ball to win an NBA championship. And the player they chose to represent them in the Defensive Player of the Year race was Dort. All of his teammates campaigned for him to win it. He was their top shutdown defender who took on the toughest assignment every night. There’s a reason why OKC only allowed a handful of 30-point performances.

Alas, Dort fell short. He finished fourth in DPOY. That said, he did earn an All-Defense Team spot for the first time. If he hopes to capture the prestigious award, he must remain in the conversation. It’s a pretty high bar to see him go from barely entering the national consciousness to winning the award, so a more realistic goal would be to remain in the conversation all season. If that happens, he can climb another rung in the ladder and finish in the top three. After that, he should inch closer to the all-time achievement.

Advertisement

Repeat recent 3-point success

Swishing in a near-halfcourt prayer, Dort’s Game 7 outside bucket showed just how far he’s come as an outside shooter. When he first joined the Thunder, his rainbow arc jumper was an abnormal look that showed he’d be a work in progress. Six seasons later, he turned into one of the best textbook 3-and-D starters. You always hear about how a player is a consistent jumper away from reaching their ceiling, but it seldom materializes. Well, it happened with Dort.

To win an NBA championship, you need simultaneous career seasons from your role players. The Thunder saw that with Dort. He shot 41.2% from 3 on 5.8 attempts. Those are eyebrow-raising numbers. Let’s see if he can replicate that efficiency and volume. As most know, the outside shot is the most volatile variable in basketball. You need as much luck as skill.

Sign contract extension

If Dort has another strong season, he could be in line for another payday. He has an $18.2 million team option for the 2026-27 season. It goes without saying that he should probably make a lot more when you look at the salaries across the league for 3-and-D starters with his resume. The Thunder could go the decline-and-sign route they’ve taken for recent contract extensions. That’s probably the safest way to sign him to another long-term deal. But of course, there are other complications involved.

Advertisement

Dort isn’t the only Thunder role player soon due for a new contract. Cason Wallace will be eligible for a contract extension in the 2026 offseason. Isaiah Hartenstein has a $28.5 million team option for the 2026-27 season. Considering how much of the payroll is committed to Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams and Holmgren, that could force OKC to make some tough decisions for the rest of the roster. Either way, Dort should get a handsome new deal soon. Just depends on which team. Most Thunder fans hope it’s with the team that developed him.

This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: OKC Thunder 3 goals: Lu Dort must remain in DPOY conversation