The OKC Thunder can't seem to catch a break when it comes to injuries, as yet another one of their consistent rotation players has succumbed to a grueling health-related ailment.
Sunday, it was announced that third-year forward Ousmane Dieng suffered a small fracture in his right ring finger. While the injury is not considered serious in the long term, per initial reports, the former lottery pick will be re-evaluated in three to four weeks, meaning he'll most likely be on the sidelines donning street clothes through the remainder of this calendar year.
Though Dieng may not be a top-flight factor within coach Mark Daigneault's on-court scheme, with all the injuries Oklahoma City has endured this season he's often served as the biggest body (6-foot-9) within the club's active rotation and has seen action in all 16 games played, logging 11.6 minutes a night.
Now, with him shelved for the foreseeable future, the Thunder will need some other players within the rotation to step up in his place, and there are a few players, in particular, who likely are heading for increased roles as a result.
Thunder who should see increased roles after Ousmane Dieng injury
Kenrich Williams
After missing the entirety of the preseason and the first 10 games of the regular season, Kenrich Williams has now suited up for six consecutive games and has quickly reminded both fans and his coaching staff why he's become such a beloved member of the organization throughout his five-year tenure.
From his defensive instincts to his all-out hustle when on the hardwood, the 29-year-old is a proven, sturdy commodity to have filling spot minutes down in the frontcourt.
Though his long-ball has yet to find consistency (shooting just 18.2 percent from deep thus far), his track record as a dependable sniper (a 38.4 percent shooter during his time in OKC) should instill confidence among his peers that eventually his shots will start falling.
With Dieng's available minutes, expect the veteran to see an uptick in on-court action moving forward that more closely resembles his 20.5 MPG career averages rather than the 12.0 MPG he's seen since making his return.
Isaiah Hartenstein
Though ideally, the Thunder would have liked the opportunity to ease Isaiah Hartenstein back into a large sum of minutes and gradually increase his role during the days following his recent return to action, with their depleted frontcourt reserves the ball club may no longer have these kinds of luxuries.
Fortunately, the big man looked phenomenal in his regular season debut with the franchise, as he served as a much-needed size and physicality bump in their win against the Blazers. He finished the night with 13 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 blocks on 50.0 percent shooting from the field.
Even before Dieng's recent injury update, coach Daigneault was hinting that I-Hart could be in line to see an increase in action, specifically at the decimated pivot position. Now, with the new reports, it's fair to assume that his 28 minutes of play in game one will likely serve as his floor moving forward.
Dillon Jones
As the season has progressed, rookie Dillon Jones has seen his playing time steadily increase, and, over his last three contests, he's seen an average of 14.1 minutes per game while dropping 5.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.7 assists on 50.0 percent shooting from the floor and 42.9 percent shooting from deep.
After an impressive preseason, it has been no secret that the Thunder have been looking into ways to get their versitile first-round talent some meaningful in-game experience.
During the G League game where Dieng sustained his finger fracture, Jones was also found logging minutes with the developmental affiliate, the OKC Blue, where he recorded a triple-double with 12 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists en route to a 104-97 win.
According to coach Daigneault, the goal for the rookie during his November 22 G League stint was to play the game in a way "that could translate to our game and our team." To him, Jones accomplished this objective, which one could argue now suggests he could see a ramp-up in his role with the varsity team over the next several games.
Branden Carlson
No one should expect earth-shattering production from two-way rookie Branden Carlson if called up, but the Thunder opted to add him to their roster rather than an already established commodity for a reason.
Now, Ousmane Dieng's absence presents Oklahoma City with a golden opportunity to show what they believe they have in the 25-year-old.
Not only is his 7-foot, 220-pound frame intriguing to think about plugging into the Thunder's vertically challenged frontcourt, but his sensational two-way, inside-out play with the OKC Blue has been hard to ignore.
Through two games, he finds himself posting averages of 20.5 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.0 steals, and 1.5 blocks while shooting 48.5 percent from the floor and 41.2 percent from deep.
Should Carlson be automatically thrust into double-digit minutes while Dieng remains sidelined? Absolutely not!
However, calling him up and rolling him out for sporadic spurts of time may prove to be rather beneficial for his development, and could provide fans insight into why, exactly, Sam Presti and company were willing to invest in the undrafted rookie in the first place.