Ousmane Dieng is viewed as a potential key addition to the Thunder’s rotation, as per Rylan Stiles of SI.com. Drafted in the lottery in 2022, Dieng has primarily played for the Oklahoma City Blue in his first two NBA seasons, but appeared in 33 games with the Thunder this year.
According to GM Sam Presti, “Like every young player, he has so many things to work on. When we drafted him, he was almost like a year young for that draft. We kind of knew that his timeline and his pathway would maybe be different, certainly from [Jalen Williams] because Dub was somebody coming in that we thought could get on the court sooner. But [Ousmane Dieng] has responded pretty well. I’m pleased with him. I think he’s made some big strides here.”
In other news from the Northwest Division:
– The Thunder hold the No. 12 pick in the draft via Houston and might look to trade back in what’s considered a weak class, Stiles suggests. This move could allow them to accumulate more future assets while still finding a contributor.
– The Timberwolves’ starting five is set to earn a combined $167 million next season, potentially pushing them near the luxury tax line. As serious contenders, they face decisions on trimming salary without hurting team quality, with Danny Leroux of The Athletic exploring options including the potential trade of Karl-Anthony Towns or Naz Reid to reduce future obligations.
– Bennett Durando of The Denver Post explores whether the Nuggets should consider trading Michael Porter Jr., noting the impact of recent blockbuster deals for all four teams in this year’s conference finals.
