Cason Wallace's breakout forces Thunder into a corner the Mavericks should love

Cason Wallace nearly helped lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a thrilling Game 7 victory against the San Antonio Spurs over the weekend after finishing with 17 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two steals, and one block while shooting 5-9 from downtown. His rise this season was impossible to ignore, and it's going to force the Thunder into a corner this offseason that could define their future. Luckily for the Dallas Mavericks, this is exactly what they need ahead of a crucial free agency.

Fresh off making an All-Defensive Team for the first time in his career, Wallace was excellent in the NBA Playoffs. He averaged 8.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2.1 steals per game while shooting 48.4 percent from downtown. His breakout was on display for the entire NBA world to see, and his impact goes way beyond the box score. He's a winner, and every NBA team needs players like him if they want to win an NBA title.

His postseason performance forces Oklahoma City into a predicament, as they'll likely have to eventually pick between keeping him and Lu Dort. Wallace is only under contract with the Thunder for one more season, and he'll become a restricted free agent next summer if they don't extend him this offseason. This is the last thing that they should want after he played a pivotal role for them on both ends all season long, and parting ways with Dort may be the easiest way to keep Wallace.

Lu Dort makes perfect sense for Dallas

OKC has a $17.2 million team option on Dort's contract this summer, and they could be looking to make some changes after losing to the Spurs and missing the NBA Finals despite being the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. If the Thunder opt out of Dort's deal, the Mavericks should be all over the 27-year-old defensive ace. Dort has been one of Dallas' nemeses for years, but bringing him over in free agency would make sense for both sides.

Dallas needs more perimeter defense and 3-point shooting, and those are some of Dort's specialties. He shot 34.4 percent from three on 5.4 attempts per game last season, but there's a reason to believe he can get that number back up again. He shot above 40 percent from downtown in the previous two seasons combined, and he can make defenses pay if he's open from beyond the arc.

The other side of the ball speaks for itself.

Dort is one of the most physical defenders in the NBA, and his toughness has been a major difference-maker for OKC since the moment they signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2019. He's been a major culture-setter for one of the West's juggernauts, and he'd be a great fit in Dallas.

Point-of-attack defense was one of the Mavericks' biggest weaknesses last season, and Dort would help address this issue right away. He excels at shutting down opposing guards, and he takes the utmost pride in his defense. Dort knows that his role is to guard the other team's best player while knocking down open shots on the other end, and Dallas needs this type of player alongside Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving as they begin this new era.

He'd fit like a glove into the Mavs' starting lineup, and his price range should match up with what Dallas has available as well. The Mavericks can utilize the mid-level exception this summer after creating some financial flexibility through the Anthony Davis trade, and at around $15 million annually, this could be the type of money Dort is looking for if OKC declines their team option. Some of his struggles in the playoffs could drive his price range down, and this would be great news for the Mavs.

Wallace's rise could make Dort expendable

While Wallace provides much more playmaking, youth, and skill than Dort, both players still bring similar 3-and-D mindsets that have helped transform OKC into one of the scariest defenses in the NBA. Both players are some of the best on-ball defenders in the Western Conference, with Wallace's ascension this season making Dort's role a bit redundant moving forward.

The Thunder's defense wouldn't be the same without Dort, but it's time for them to do some cost-cutting if they want to be able to give Wallace a second contract. Wallace is just the better player than Dort at this point, and Oklahoma City potentially parting with Dort would give the Mavericks an intriguing option in free agency.

Signing a player who has played in 48 playoff games over the last three seasons would be a great move for a team that's starting fresh, and Dort's potential fit in Dallas is easy to see. OKC has to decline their team option, or be willing to trade him, if the Mavericks want a shot at Dort, but Wallace's improvement definitely makes things more complicated for them.

The Thunder have some decisions to make about their 22-year-old shooting guard out of the University of Kentucky, and if they want to make him a long-term piece of their core, it may just come at the cost of 2024-25 All-Defensive First Team member Lu Dort.

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