The early returns on the Milwaukee Bucks' Ousmane Dieng investment have been a resounding success. It's only been three games, but still, the former Thunder lottery pick looks like he just needed a chance to spread his wings.
Milwaukee might be staring at its next buy-low flier from the very same draft class. Why not take a chance on Ochai Agbaji this summer? Taken three selections after Dieng by Cleveland, Agbaji flashed promise two seasons ago in Toronto but has yet to pan out.
In what was essentially a salary dump at the 2026 trade deadline, the Raptors flipped him to Brooklyn, where Agbaji will presumably spend the rest of the year. When he becomes a restricted free agent this summer, the Bucks should be ready to strike.
Agbaji has similar upside as a smaller version of Dieng
Compared to Dieng, Agbaji has had more of an opportunity to develop. For most of his Thunder career, Dieng was buried on Oklahoma City's impossibly strong depth chart. Agbaji, meanwhile, began to see decent chances in Utah and Toronto.
As a Jazz rookie, the 6-foot-5 guard-forward played 59 games and made 22 starts. After being traded to Toronto, he started 63 of his first 91 games for the Raptors. Last season, he seemingly turned a corner, averaging 10.4 points on 49.8/39.9/70.8 splits. A sneaky rebounder, he contributed nearly seven total rebounds and three offensive boards per 100 possessions with the Raptors.
Compare that to the rebounding ability of someone like Gary Trent Jr., who is also 6-foot-5 but per 100 possessions has averaged 4.2 total rebounds and only 0.6 on the offensive glass. Rebounding has been a thorn in the Bucks' side all season. Agbaji's athleticism and hustle would supply an appreciated boost in the backcourt.
Like Dieng, Agbaji has the ceiling to be a two-way weapon. His 6-foot-10 wingspan is impressive for his size. In Toronto, his length and defensive focus produced nearly a steal per game in '24-25. Even in a reduced role this season, Agbaji turned in a career-best defensive on-off rating. Per 100 possessions with him on the floor, opposing offenses scored 2.6 fewer points.
Despite glimpses, however, Agbaji hasn't lived up to his status as a No. 14 overall pick. In his career, he has put up 7.3 points per game on 44.6/33.8/75.2 splits. On offense, it's also the only time Agbaji has posted a positive on-off rating of note (plus-3.0). This season, he's averaging a career-low 4.2 points. Nearing his 26th birthday, with 244 games under his belt, the former Jayhawk is past prospect status.
Still, he's someone the Bucks should target to fill out their rotation this offseason. Although Agbaji is a restricted free agent, it seems unlikely that Brooklyn will have much interest in retaining him. His four-year, $18.7 million rookie contract, fully guaranteed, was offered based on his standing as a backend lottery pick. He is playing in 2025-26 on a $6.4 million team option.
If Agbaji is interested in joining the Bucks, they should be able to get him for less than that in free agency. The fact that he and Giannis Antetokounmpo share Alex Saratsis as an agent is one thing that could work in their favor. After their evident success with Dieng, Agbaji should be a natural next target on Milwaukee's list.