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Per Keith Smith at Spotrac:

Dort - $1.9M team option due 6/29/22: Dort has been a success story for the Thunder. He came in and outplayed a Two-Way contract and is how a key member of the rotation. For that reason, OKC will decline their team option and will make Dort a restricted free agent this summer. From there, the Thunder will work out a long-term deal with their wing-stopper.

https://www.spotrac.com/research/nba/projecting-2022-nba-player-and-team-options-1501/

I thought the Thunder would pick up the option then sign to an extension after the new cba. Thoughts?

I think the Thunder pick up his option and try to sign him next year as an ufa.

15m a year seems like a fair deal for everyone. Why risk letting him go in UFA if you can work something out now?

I think there are a couple different reasons to push it to next year.

First, Presti has been burned by new CBA’s in the past. I don’t think a Dort deal would really have an impact, but Presti can’t be burned for a 3rd time with a new CBA.

Second, if they picked up the option, his cap hold next year would be $3.6 million. That would give the Thunder $10+ Million extra in cap space.

RunOKC wrote:15m a year seems like a fair deal for everyone. Why risk letting him go in UFA if you can work something out now?

agree but I expect to be a bit more since I suppose that Dort didn't want to sign for 54-56 millions (otherwise doesn't make sense to make him RFA this offseason)

Dort deserves to get paid but more than 16M/year could be a problem for us long term.

Balkman32 wrote:I think there are a couple different reasons to push it to next year.

First, Presti has been burned by new CBA’s in the past. I don’t think a Dort deal would really have an impact, but Presti can’t be burned for a 3rd time with a new CBA.

Second, if they picked up the option, his cap hold next year would be $3.6 million. That would give the Thunder $10+ Million extra in cap space.

The extra cap space is nice, but you have to be sure he’ll re-sign I guess. I haven’t seen anything that makes me think he doesn’t want to be on the Thunder, but if he has a good season and gets an absurd offer it’ll be dicey. For those reasons I’d rather lock him up as an RFA if possible. We’ll see.

If you pay him now , realistically you can sell it to him as a lower / year number than if you pay him next season since we are essentially giving him a bump for next season .

Lock in the money earlier for him as well

I thought they would for sure decline his option to make him a restricted free agent over a ufa next year. But after Presti’s prior press conference he really made it seem like he wanted to know what the new CBA will be before Bazley & Dorts next contract.

The one thing about waiting is the Thunder is you get a super cheap deal next year then you can sign him to a 5 year deal at the start of the ‘23-‘24 season he would be locked up until he was 29.

Any one know when the club option date is on Dort's contract?

If the Thunder opt out and turn him into a RFA, I believe the max offer they can make is 4 years $58 million (the contract Harden turned down).

If the Thunder trade up to #4 from #12 and re-sign Dort to come back the the Thunder they will be aright up against the lux tax.

If the Thunder stay at #12 and pick up Dort's $1.9 option (he would becomes a UFA at the end of the season and the Thunder would be $18 million under the lux tax.

So many options. I think they shouldn't let Dort hit unrestricted free agency as anything can happen.

Presti’s never let anyone but KD get to Free Agency. But, he wa s pretty clear about the CBA’s impact on their decision making. I believe that Dort, while helpful, is not critical to the long term success of the team.

So, 2/3 reasons say wait until next year and try to resign him then.

cjmcallist wrote:Presti’s never let anyone but KD get to Free Agency. But, he wa s pretty clear about the CBA’s impact on their decision making. I believe that Dort, while helpful, is not critical to the long term success of the team.

So, 2/3 reasons say wait until next year and try to resign him then.

Didn’t he let Roberson get to free agency?

ThunderBolt wrote:

cjmcallist wrote:Presti’s never let anyone but KD get to Free Agency. But, he wa s pretty clear about the CBA’s impact on their decision making. I believe that Dort, while helpful, is not critical to the long term success of the team.

So, 2/3 reasons say wait until next year and try to resign him then.

Didn’t he let Roberson get to free agency?

True. Also technically Kanter hit RFA.