Does Ousmane Dieng Have Path to Extension with OKC Thunder?

Oklahoma City has some decisions to make after winning its first NBA championship.

This summer has been quite an easy one for the Thunder. After securing their NBA title, most of their drama was resolved early in the offseason, with extensions for their big three and some key role players.

With 14 of the 15 players on last season’s standard roster still with the team as training camp looms, the Thunder haven’t had to make many big decisions. However, that could change in the near future, particularly with Ousmane Dieng.

The No. 11 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Dieng has struggled to carve out a role with Oklahoma City through three seasons. Considering the Thunder are ready to contend for the foreseeable future, his time in Oklahoma City could be limited.

As the Thunder have been more than willing to extend each of their other 2022 draft picks, Dieng hasn’t been in the mix, despite being the second-highest selection behind Chet Holmgren three years ago. The general thought with Dieng hasn’t been about whether he would get an extension, but rather about his chances of even making it through all of next season.

After the Thunder won the 2025 title, they don’t exactly have the resources to try and develop a fourth-year player who projects to be the 15th-best player on the standard roster. Considering Oklahoma City didn’t want to go through a similar process with Dillon Jones, trading him after his rookie season this summer, it’s fair to say that Dieng might be on the trade block at some point next season. 

How can Dieng stick around?

While it seems almost like a foregone conclusion that Dieng will be playing elsewhere after next season, there might still be a path to him sticking around. Although it doesn’t necessarily seem like a likely path, it’s still a quite simple one.

At 6-foot-10, Dieng’s ability to handle the ball and create offensively give the Thunder a unique combination of size and skillset. If he can at least contribute in some capacity next season and finally show he can be physical enough to survive at the NBA level, there’s a possibility for him to save his career, whether in Oklahoma City or elsewhere.

In terms of sticking with the Thunder, it could be a matter of convenience for Sam Presti and company. With the potential for a myriad of moving parts next summer, the Thunder could find some comfort in keeping Dieng around, especially considering the French forward won’t command a large payday, regardless of his performance next season.