RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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The calendar has flipped to August. Which means we're in the dog days of the NBA's year-round calendar. Little will happen over the next two months as teams across the league prepare for the 2026-27 season. Before we move on, though, let's reflect one last time on last year.
The Oklahoma City Thunder had a league-best 64-18 regular-season record. Juggling injuries all year, they overcame notable absences all year. Alas, they fell short of a second NBA championship with a 2026 Western Conference Finals exit.
To reflect on their 2025-26 season, Thunder Wire will conduct player grades for all 20 players who suited up for them this past year. Fifteenth up is Ousmane Dieng, who was traded from the Thunder to the Milwaukee Bucks:
2025-26 statistics:
3.7 points
1.6 rebounds
1.0 assists
41.8% shooting
36.7% 3-point shooting
100.0% free-throw shooting
Advanced stats:
True-shooting percentage: 53.4%
Usage rate: 14.9%
Win shares: 0.6
VORP: 0.1
Significant Percentile Finishes:
Isolation scorer: 59.7 percentile
Transition scorer: 23.5 percentile
Spot-up scorer: 26.8 percentile
Contract:
2026-27: $5.8 million
2027-28: $5.8 million
2028-29: $5.8 million (team option)
Thoughts:
After being in the background for nearly four seasons, the Thunder finally waved the white flag on one of their developmental projects. Dieng saw his time end in OKC as he was unceremoniously flipped elsewhere at the 2026 NBA trade deadline. He leaves with a championship ring. And that's about it in terms of his contributions to his first NBA home.
Things just didn't work out for Dieng in OKC. He joined at a bad time as the Thunder quickly ascended into a title contender. Along with constant small injuries, he missed his window to pencil his name into the rotation. Everybody knew when he was added that he'd need time to develop. Unfortunately, those reps weren't afforded to him as they built up one of the deepest teams in the league.
The writing was on the wall about Dieng's inevitable departure. He seldom played in the first half of the season. And in the final year of his rookie-scale deal, he eventually landed with the Milwaukee Bucks after being part of a series of trades. In his two-month trial there, he showed out. He averaged double-digit points in a rebuilding situation as they came to terms with Giannis Antetokounmpo's eventual exit.
Fighting for his NBA career, Dieng showed out in the final two months. He enjoyed his revenge with a win over the Thunder. He then dropped a career-best 36 points in a loss to the Houston Rockets. After being stuck in a role player status in OKC, he had full control as Milwaukee's primary ball-handler. The additional reps allowed him to get into a rhythm. Specifically from the outside.
That was enough to earn another contract. Dieng signed a three-year, $17.5 million deal with the Bucks this offseason. As they enter a rebuild, the 23-year-old will get a chance to carve out an NBA career. Finally, he gets to play in a low-leverage situation and learn on the job. A luxury he wasn't afforded in his time in OKC.
Moving Forward:
After being a good soldier on the Thunder for so long, happy to see Dieng flourish at the NBA level. Sure, he's the lone blemish in OKC's historic four-player 2022 NBA draft haul, but that's more due to circumstance. He just never had the chance to gain confidence. Instead, he was either at the end of the bench or lit it up on the G League's OKC Blue during his three-plus seasons there.
Still, Dieng never complained. He was an awesome teammate and part of their 2025 NBA championship run. Because of that, he'll forever be part of OKC's lore. I always felt like he just needed a fresh start to show off his talent. He's a rhythm player who needs to get into a flow. Limited touches as a role player didn't suit his strengths. Lo and behold, that's exactly what happened once he landed on the Bucks.
Now, Dieng can breathe a little. He earned that sought-after second NBA contract. For a long time, that felt like a long shot. But his sizzling streak in Milwaukee was enough to be brought back for a few more seasons. He gets to settle down on the Bucks and see if he can stick around through their upcoming rebuild. When things were dire there, the 23-year-old was a glimmer of hope on an old roster filled with zero upside.
Of course, it's one thing for Dieng to have a hot two months. Another to play above average for a whole regular season. That'll be the next challenge for him. He also needs to toughen up on his drives to the rim. Can't shy away from contact. And he must continue to pull up from deep. That seems to be his best weapon at getting buckets.
Good for Dieng. Think he has a chance to develop into something. He was too talented a scorer at the G League level not to show some promise at least. There's a reason why the Thunder traded up to take him in the lottery range. Considering how young he is, the 23-year-old still has plenty of room to grow as a basketball player. Amazing what happens when you join the NBA at such a young age.
Final Grade: F
This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: 2025-26 Thunder player grades: Ousmane Dieng
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