The NBA is in its slowest time of the year, which means it’s a perfect opportunity to reflect on the current state of the league.
That’s what HoopsHype writer Frank Urbina did when he ranked the 24 best shooting guards heading into the 2023-24 season. For the Oklahoma City Thunder, they had a pair of entrants on the list.
Lu Dort comes in at No. 23 on the list, seven spots below teammate Jalen Williams’ No. 16 ranking.
“Luguentz Dort makes up for his offensive inefficiency by being a hugely impactful one-on-one defender. Dort has quick feet, great strength and a lot of toughness, and he makes it quite difficult for opposing guards to get by him. He will need to continue working on his offense, though, as he’s been so inefficient as a scorer that he has actually been a net negative for the Oklahoma City Thunder over the last two years. Over the past two campaigns, Dort has made the Thunder 0.3 points per 100 possessions worse during his time on the floor.”
Four seasons into his NBA career, Dort has established himself as one of the premier perimeter defenders in the league. While the outside shooting can be inconsistent, it doesn’t tank his value as a quality starting wing.
