Bucks look even more genius for Ousmane Dieng trade after latest developments

Cole Anthony didn't last long in Phoenix, waived after three weeks without suiting up for a game. Now, Amir Coffey appears to be fading from his own modest role in the Suns' rotation. Prior to their game against the Milwaukee Bucks, he had played just 12 minutes in the past two contests. Tuesday night, he registered a DNP. 

Shipping the two veterans to Phoenix was the price the Bucks paid to land breakout forward Ousmane Dieng at the trade deadline. More than ever, it appears that they sacrificed nothing at all in the exchange while gaining a surprise starter. 

A savvy move just keeps looking smarter for General Manager Jon Horst. 

Coffey is falling from favor while Dieng keeps climbing higher 

Anthony never had a chance for the Suns, but Coffey actually saw decent burn in the immediate aftermath of the trade. In his first eight games in Phoenix, he averaged 6.1 points and 2.6 rebounds on 51 percent shooting from the field. Recovering a trait that he seemingly left in Los Angeles, Coffey also started making his threes (6-for-14). 

While those numbers are modest, he provided more than he did at any point in Milwaukee. 

However, Suns head coach Jordan Ott elected not to play him against his old team, and it seems that Coffey's so-called honeymoon phase is waning. That is despite the fact that starting small forward Dillon Brooks remains out with an injury. 

At least when he had a rotation role, it looked like the Suns had stumbled into a serviceable player in addition to the salary relief created in the trade by sending Nick Richards to Chicago. That was the main allure, anyway; clearly, they had no interest in Anthony. 

Now, though, that's apparently becoming the case with Coffey as well. 

The fact that the Bucks gave up nothing of value is as salient as ever. Talk about hitting the jackpot on a free roll. Neither veteran had a regular job in Milwaukee, whereas Dieng has emerged as a starter. More than that, he looks like a piece the team should be keen to keep in restricted free agency this summer. 

Dieng has become an exciting Bucks contributor

In 14 games for the Bucks (six starts), Dieng has averaged 8.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists. He is shooting 38.7 percent from deep on over four attempts per game. Those numbers are easily career-highs across the board, thanks to the first real opportunity of Dieng's still young career. In three and a half seasons with the Thunder, the former 11th overall pick made just two starts total. 

In contrast to Coffey's receding presence in Phoenix, Dieng is on the rise in Milwaukee. He has started five straight games at 30 minutes a night. In that span, he has kept his shooting efficiency up while boosting his box score averages: 10.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, and four assists per contest. 

Despite the accruing losses, Dieng has posted a box-score differential worse than the Bucks' margin of defeat just once. He is one of the few bright spots in a depressing stretch of games. 

Somehow, this gem is the Bucks' return on investment for Anthony and Coffey. Dieng is an absolute steal, and his stock is only rising.