Unexpected trade! Goodbye, Thunder! An NBA All-Defensive First Team stalwart

A three-team trade breakdown:

Hawks get Dort (from Thunder) and Nembhard (from Mavericks);

Thunder receive three second-round picks (two from Hawks, one from Mavericks);

Mavericks get Risacher (from Hawks).

Risacher, the No. 1 pick of the 2024 draft, is being acquired by the Mavericks using only a 2025 undrafted rookie Nembhard plus one second-round pick, pairing him with Flagg (2025) and Irving (2011), thus uniting three top picks.

Meanwhile, after trading Dort, the Thunder not only create a $17 million trade exception but also slash their luxury tax from approximately $102.2 million to about $19.6 million, keeping their total payroll below the second apron.

Over his seven-year NBA career, Dort has played exclusively for the Thunder. Standing 1.93m tall with a 2.04m wingspan, he went undrafted in 2019. His stats:

Regular season: 28.9 minutes per game, 11.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists, shooting 40.5%/35.8%/78.8%. Playoffs: 28.3 minutes per game, 8.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists, shooting 36.3%/33.2%/66.7%.

This player has a mixed reputation due to some aggressive moves, but he is a genuine elite perimeter stopper. He was named to the All-Defensive First Team in the 2024-25 season and played a crucial role in helping the Thunder secure their first-ever championship that same year.

Thunder reporter Brandon Rahbar remarked: "Dort is a world-class defender and an outstanding figure in locker room culture and team building. Without him, Oklahoma City would not have won the 2025 championship."

Notably, before the trade, the Thunder exercised Dort's $17.72 million team option for next season, meaning he enters a contract year. If he performs well with his new team, he might earn a lucrative extension.

Dort, now 27, is in the prime of his basketball career. His partnership with Daniels (two-time All-Defensive Team selection) gives the Hawks the best perimeter defense in the league.