Cam Thomas already looks like a solid pick-up for the Milwaukee Bucks, but they won the NBA trade deadline before they even picked him up. When the Bucks traded for Ousmane Dieng, they won. It was exactly the type of move they needed to make as they plan for the future, nabbing a guy who could potentially help them in multiple ways.
Dieng has looked solid since joining the Bucks, but he’s not a veteran. Before getting to Milwaukee, Dieng was with the Oklahoma City Thunder, but they didn’t have enough minutes to give him ample playing time. Now, he’s in a place where he can earn plenty of minutes, aiding his development.
He’s the exact type of player the Bucks needed, and adding him is why they won the deadline.
Ousmane Dieng trade was best of deadline
There were a ton of rumors heading into the deadline regarding whether or not the Bucks would trade Giannis Antetokounmpo. In the end, they decided to keep him, and now, they have to figure out how to build around him.
Or, they could potentially trade him this summer. Maybe the Bucks just wanted to wait until the offseason in an attempt to get a better return in an Antetokounmpo deal.
But those two options are the exact reasons why the Bucks trading for Dieng already looks like one of, if not the best deal made at this year’s NBA trade deadline.
Dieng is 22 years old. If he continues to progress, he could be a building block for the Bucks moving forward. A guy for them to potentially build around (at least to some degree).
However, if they do manage to build another title contender with Antetokounmpo leading the way, his three-point shooting and defensive abilities make him an ideal fit next to The Greek Freak.
It’s a win no matter what. Dieng was the exact type of guy that the Bucks needed to trade for. It was an absolute win for the Bucks.
In his last two games, Dieng has earned more minutes, and he’s helped lead the Bucks to two straight wins. In the first game, he had 17 points and three rebounds.
Then, in the Bucks’ recent win over the Thunder, Dieng put up 19 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, one steal, and four blocks while shooting 7-of-12 from the floor and 3-of-6 from beyond the three-point arc.
Adding Dieng was one of the best trades made by any team at this year’s deadline.