OKC Thunder's Latest Trade Could Signal Opportunity for Ousmane Dieng

Oklahoma City’s offseason is in full swing, and it’s come with the first departure from the championship roster.

On Saturday night, the Thunder announced they traded Dillon Jones and a 2029 second-round pick to the Washington Wizards for Colby Jones, who was subsequently waived. Jones is now the only member of the championship team to be moved thus far.

Throughout his rookie season, Jones saw inconsistent playing time, splitting time with the Thunder and the Blue. While the Thunder traded five second-round picks for him in the 2024 draft, Jones never panned out, and it was clear that there would be limited opportunity for him moving forward.

Yet, there was still uncertainty as to who would be the odd man out in Oklahoma City. With the team drafting Thomas Sorber with the No. 12 pick, the Thunder knew they had to part ways with someone on the 15-man roster.

Ultimately, the team picked Jones, which could be an indication of how it views Ousmane Dieng. A 2022 lottery pick alongside Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams, Dieng hasn’t developed into an impact player at the NBA level.

Last season, Dieng averaged 3.8 points and 2.2 rebounds while playing in 37 games. Throughout his career, Dieng has never played more than 39 games in a season or averaged more than 14.6 minutes per game.

During his first three seasons in the NBA, Dieng has been a star for the Blue, but his role on the Thunder has never been consistent or large enough for there to be any real impact. However, this move could show that the Thunder have a plan for him as he enters the final season of his rookie deal.

At 6-foot-10, Dieng has a unique skillset for his size that sets him apart from anyone else on the Thunder. And at only 22 years old, Dieng is still in a position to get better.

While it will be incredibly tough for him to find a consistent role on a team coming off a championship, Dieng still has some potential to make it in this league. Of course, he might just be the next Aleksej Pokusevski for the Thunder and be on another team by next year’s trade deadline, but for now, there is still hope that Dieng could become a key player in Oklahoma City.