The Raptors have made it clear what they want their identity to be. Defence, physicality and making life difficult for opponents have been at the centre of Toronto’s roster construction.That’s exactly why Lu Dort would have been such an interesting fit in Toronto.
The Montreal native was recently moved to the Atlanta Hawks in a three-team trade that also involved the Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma City Thunder. Dallas landed former No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher, while the Thunder picked up three second-round picks and Atlanta added one of the NBA’s premier perimeter defenders.
However, before this deal was completed, the Raptors were reportedly one of the teams keeping an eye on Dort. According to Mike Scotto of HoopsHype, Toronto was among four teams that expressed interest in acquiring the Canadian.
“Several teams expressed trade interest in acquiring Dort before he was traded to Atlanta, including the Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn Nets, Toronto Raptors, and Miami Heat, league sources told HoopsHype,” Scotto reported.
It’s unclear how far those conversations went or whether Toronto ever got close to making a deal happen. Still, it’s easy to see why the Raptors would have been interested.
Dort has made a name for himself as one of the league’s most physical defenders. After spending his first seven NBA seasons with Oklahoma City, Dort helped the Thunder win the 2025 NBA championship and was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team that same season.
While his biggest impact comes on defence, Dort also could have helped address another major issue for Toronto, three-point shooting.The Raptors struggled from beyond the arc last season, and Dort has shown he can be a reliable option from deep when given the opportunity.
In the 2024-25 season, he shot 41.2 percent from three-point range while taking 5.8 attempts per game. Last season, Dort averaged 8.3 points and 3.6 rebounds across 69 games. For his career, he has averaged 11.6 points and 3.8 rebounds per game.
The Raptors’ reported interest shows the type of player they continue to look for as they build their next version of the team: players who can defend at a high level and help win without needing constant touches.