Charlotte jumps in Thunder-76ers trade deal
The Charlotte Hornets drew his first move from NBA trade deadline on Thursday in acquiring Oklahoma City Thunder forward Usman Dieng in exchange for Mason Plumlee, according to NBA ClutchPoints insider Brett Siegel. The trade was part of a deal with three teams in between Thunder and Philadelphia 76ers that included Jared McCain joined the Thunder in exchange for a 2026 first-round pick and three second-round picks.
With the Thunder poised to bring back Usman Dieng and McCain, another move is likely to come as OKC currently lacks the roster space to acquire both players. What that move will be in the end remains to be seen.
However, on the Hornets side, they add a potentially promising piece that has been a surprising turnaround this season. The Hornets are currently on a seven-game winning streak and are climbing the Eastern Conference standings to a potential playoff spot. With the Thunder among the favorites to compete for a championship, Dieng’s time and role have been limited due to a veteran roster.
The No. 11 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Dieng has been used sparingly over the past four years with the Thunder. This season, he appeared in 27 games with just over 10 minutes per game. He averaged 3.7 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.0 steals on 41.8 percent shooting from the field, 36.7 percent from the 3-point line and 100 percent from the free throw line.
Dieng probably ranks as the power forward on the Hornets’ depth chart behind Grant Williams, but likely ahead of Tidjane Salaun. The Hornets will lose Plumlee in the process, but with Moussa Diabat and Ryan Kalkbrenner, there was no room for him in the rotation.
2026-02-04 19:51:00
