Thunder make two quick moves after humbling Celtics
Yesterday at 10:49 PM
In what was a possible NBA Finals preview, the Oklahoma City Thunder dispatched the visiting Boston Celtics, 105-92. The Thunder improved to 30-5 while the Celtics dropped to 26-10. Immediately following the big win, the Thunder made a couple of roster moves on a pair of young players, as per Clemente Almanza of Thunder Wire.
The Thunder's latest roster moves entailed assigning both Ousmane Dieng and Dillon Jones to the Oklahoma City Blue in the G League. The Blue have a trio of road games this upcoming week against the Rio Grande Valley Vipers and the Austin Spurs.
The Thunder have been one of the best organizations in the NBA at developing young talent and using the G League to facilitate that development. As a team in win-now mode looking to contend for a championship, there isn't much playing time available for young players such as Dieng and Jones. Neither player got into the game against the Celtics.
Thunder developing young players
With the Thunder's track record of identifying and developing young talent, both Dieng and Jones are players to keep an eye on. Dieng is in his third season in the NBA while Jones is a rookie. Both players were drafted by the Thunder with Dieng being the No. 11 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft and Jones being the No. 26 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Dieng already has extensive G League experience in his three seasons while Jones has gotten his first taste of game speed with the OKC Blue as a rookie.
While Jones is seemingly a player for the Thunder future, Dieng could possibly be a trade candidate having seemingly been squeezed out of playing time. He worked his way back from a finger injury earlier this season, and seems poised to get plenty of reps in the G League.
Dieng has suited up in 20 games so far for the Thunder this season but hasn't made much of an impact. In around ten minutes per game, he's only averaged 2.9 points and 2.4 rebounds while shooting under 40 percent from the field. He was last season's G League Finals MVP.
The injury has limited Dieng to only two games for the Blue, one during showcase and one during regular season.
In Jones' case, he's appeared in 26 games as a rookie, but hasn't made much of an impact either. He did suit up in five games for the Blue during the showcase portion of the schedule while averaging 14.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 7.6 assists.
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