4 Thunder players who definitely won't be back next season

3. Ousmane Dieng

Ousmane Dieng's inclusion on this list is more based on the hope that Oklahoma City will do right by him than anything else.

Selected 11 overall during the 2022 NBA Draft, the forward has struggled mightily to come across consistent and highly valuable playing time within coach Mark Daigneault due, in large, to the bevy of established and overall higher-regarded talents ahead of him in the pecking order (Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, Jaylin Williams, etc.).

Considering the fact that the Thunder will almost certainly be out star shopping this summer and still have a slew of draft picks coming their way over the next few years, clearing roster space should be a primary goal for Sam Presti and company moving forward.

Because of this, Dieng should be seen as a realistic trade candidate.

A 20-year-old recently selected lottery pick who has shown flashes of becoming an all-around difference-maker (averages 16.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.0 blocks in the G League) will almost certainly garner attention from rival clubs if placed on the block.

Clearing space on the roster all while collecting more draft capital and future-focused assets to their arsenal sounds like a near ideal scenario for the Thunder, and that would likely be the situation at hand should they move on from Dieng.