Kenrich Williams Injury Could Open Playing Time for Two Young OKC Thunder Players

The Oklahoma City Thunder will need to fill the minutes left behind by veteran forward Kenrich Williams, but may already have the pieces to do so this season.

Oct 9, 2023; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Ousmane Dieng (13) moves the ball against the San Antonio Spurs during the first half at Paycom Center / Rob Ferguson-Imagn Images

On Tuesday, Sept. 17, news broke that Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kenrich Williams would undergo a knee surgery that will sideline him for the 2024-25 preseason.

While Williams' wasn't a major contributor for Mark Daigneault's team last year, he did play a few valuable minutes throughout the regular season and even in the playoffs. As one of the few veterans on OKC's roster, the WIlliams helped stabilize the younger players in moments of adversity.

Williams' may be able to return to the Thunder's lineup early in the regular season after his knee is reevaluated, but his absence in the preseason could create opportunities for two players to earn more time on the court and establish themselves heading into the year.

Rookie wing Dillon Jones and third-year forward Ousmane Dieng have the potential to earn significant minutes on the floor while Williams is sidelined if either of the young prospects looks solid through training camp.

Jones, listed at 6-foot-6 and 235 pounds, has enough height and strength to play small-ball center, but can also pass and handle the ball like Williams. As a senior at Weber State, Jones averaged 20.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, 5.2 assists and two steals per game, showcasing his versatility.

In five Summer League games, Jones averaged 13 points, four assists, seven rebounds and a steal per game while shooting 40% from the floor, 29% from 3-point range and 66% from the free throw line.

Dieng, a former lottery pick from France who is entering his third year in the NBA, is another candidate to take over Williams' minutes.

So far, the former NBL standout has spent most of his professional career in the G League, but showed major strides in 2023-24. Dieng averaged 17.2 points, 7.6 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game while shooting 46.9% from the field and 28.8% from beyond the arc.

An outstanding performance in the G League Finals last season helped the OKC Blue win their first title while Dieng took home Finals MVP honors.

Listed at 6-9, Dieng has ideal size on the wing and could fill a variety of roles, but has not proven to as aggressive as Williams. If Dieng is able to hit shots from the perimeter with more consistency and get more aggressive on both ends of the floor, he appears to be a prime candidate to earn a few extra minutes at the NBA level this season.

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