A Bleacher Report analyst recently listed an Oklahoma City Thunder forward as one of the top players under 25 years old that could use a change of scenery.
Bleacher Report Analyst Lists Thunder Forward Among Top Under-25 Players Who Should Be Traded originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have had a relatively quiet offseason thus far as they continue to celebrate their championship from last season.
Of course, the Thunder have made some notable additions to their roster as they selected both Thomas Sorber and Brooks Barnhizer in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Oklahoma City also signed their star trio of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren to max contract extensions, locking them in for the foreseeable future.
With their core now locked up and almost the entirety of their rotation returning next season, the Thunder are set to enter the 2025-26 season as the favorite to win the championship once again.
While that may be the case, Oklahoma City does have some questions with some of the young players on their roster who may not see much playing time next season.
Among them is Ousmane Dieng and Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley recently listed him as one of the top player under 25 years old that could be due for a fresh start with a new team.
“Remember the 2022 draft that proved so transformative for the now-world champion Thunder? You know, the one that delivered both Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams? Well, do you also remember that OKC moved up (at the cost of multiple first-round picks) to make a selection in between them? It's very possible you don't, since Dieng, the player the Thunder dealt three protected future firsts to take 11th overall, has hardly hit the NBA hardwood since,” Buckley wrote.
Buckley makes a great point about how the Thunder traded up to select Dieng 11th overall in the 2022 draft, though that has been one of the very few mistakes made by general manager Sam Presti.
Dieng has struggled with injuries over his career and with the amount of talent on Oklahoma City’s roster, he has had a hard time breaking into their rotation.
Because of this, a trade may benefit the 22-year-old forward’s NBA career as he could join a new team and receive more playing time than he likely will over the next handful of seasons with the Thunder.
Despite this, Oklahoma City has not shown much interest in trading him but that may change in the future, especially before he is due for a contract extension.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Basketball
