Jan. 31, 2026, 6:00 p.m. CT
Just a handful of days away, the 2026 NBA trade deadline serves as the last chance for teams to shake up their roster before the offseason. Contenders hope to strengthen their odds while rebuilding situations seek out more draft capital and young talent.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have sat atop the NBA standings for the entire season. That said, though, they’ve looked human for the last month. That has opened the door to some possible outside additions if needed.
Regardless if they look to add more depth, the Thunder will likely make at least one move. On an expiring salary, Ousmane Dieng could be moved elsewhere. He’s in the final year of his first contract at $6.7 million. Considering he’s outside of the rotation, his time in OKC is likely up soon.
Even if it’s just a small salary dump, Dieng could use a fresh start. He’ll have two months to audition for his new team as to why they should give him a new contract this upcoming season, despite a forgettable first four years in the league.
Here are four teams that make sense for Dieng:
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At the infancy stage of their rebuild, the Nets are all about bringing in talent. A loaded rookie class shows that. You normally don’t see teams add five players simultaneously. But Brooklyn is all about starting over. Maybe Dieng can show some things in Brooklyn. Considering how in and out players are on the injury report, he’ll for sure get opportunities there.
The Jazz are in the same boat. They especially have extra motivation to lose out. A top-eight protected first-round pick has caused Utah to be paranoid. Every other game, you see Lauri Markkanen sit out with an illness. Not only is Dieng worth the flyer, but he can also ensure you lose games. They’ve figured some stuff out with Keyonte George, now it’s about seeing if some of their frontcourt talent can stick around long-term.
Golden State Warriors
As much as they hate to admit it, it’s a lost season for the Warriors. Once Jimmy Butler III went down with a torn ACL, that became the symbolic waving of the white flag. The antique roster desperately needs young legs. Dieng fits the bill. Considering how epically bad Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody have been, Golden State could try out another young forward. You won’t make any playoff noise. Might as well make the most of a bad situation.
The connections are obvious. Wizards GM Will Dawkins was in the room when the Thunder traded a package of draft picks to acquire Dieng in 2022. Since their new regime took over, they’ve already made one deal with OKC for Dillon Jones. Might be worth making another for Dieng. He still has plenty of upside. At just 22 years old, he’s shown enough on-ball flashes to at least try him out for two months. Washington is in development mode. No harm in a deal.