Lu Dort has played like he deserves a standard contract.
The undrafted rookie out of Arizona State has stepped into the starting role and made it his own over the last six weeks.
He started the 15th game of his career on Tuesday night, the most for any two-way player since two-way contracts were first introduced back in 2017.
The clock is ticking on Dort’s 45 days with the Thunder, and although a standard contract does seem to be on the horizon, Royce Young of ESPN doesn’t expect a deal to come all that soon.
According to Young, Dort had 16 of his 45 days remaining coming into Tuesday night. As Dort is not practicing with the team so as not to count against his time, Oklahoma City could stretch the days he has left through March 28, which is “through the G-League season where days of service no longer count”.
Regarding Lu Dort, he has 16 days left of NBA service on his two-way contract. That would take him to March 28, which is through the G-League season where days of service no longer count. But he would need to have his contract converted to be postseason eligible.
— Royce Young (@royceyoung) February 25, 2020
It’s for that reason that Young believes the “conversations to sign Dort likely don’t pick up until after the G-League season and closer to the end of the NBA regular season”.
It's likely the conversations to sign Dort to an NBA contract won't pick up until after the G-League season and closer to the end of the NBA regular season. It's in OKC's best interest financially to wait, and could be in Dort's as well if he continues to increase his value.
— Royce Young (@royceyoung) February 25, 2020
He does point out that for Dort to play in the postseason, his contract would have to be converted.
Dort himself doesn’t seem to be too worried about when that happens.
He told Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman that the Thunder “know what they’re doing” and that he’s just “staying patient and playing basketball”.
Until his contract is converted, a lot of that basketball is on his own.
“I’ve got to do stuff on my own just to stay in good condition and stuff like that,” Dort said. “It’s not that tough. The fact I can watch them so I can still learn the plays and stuff like that. But the fact I don’t run, I’ve got to [do] stuff on my own.”
According to Mussatto, Dort also spends time after practice working one-on-one with Thunder coaches, time that does not count against his 45 days.