Initially, Nick Richards was set to join the Milwaukee Bucks after a trade deadline deal with Phoenix. However, the two teams expanded the deal, with the Bucks opting to send Richards to Chicago and acquire Ousmane Dieng in his place. It's still far too early to judge the move, but Richards certainly gave Milwaukee something to think about in his electric Bulls debut.
Nick Richards shines for Bulls fresh off the plane
In Saturday's clash between the Bulls and Denver Nuggets, Richards logged 19 minutes, his second-highest total of the entire season. He made the most of his time, tallying 15 points, seven rebounds, one block, and a steal. Shooting 5-of-8 from the field, including sinking his lone 3-point attempt, the big man thrived with more opportunities offensively.
Meanwhile, Dieng didn't log a single minute for the Milwaukee Bucks in his first game despite being made available. Some of that could have been due to wanting him to get acclimated to the team and its concepts, sure, but there are question marks about exactly where he may fit in the nightly rotation, especially when they start to get healthy. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kyle Kuzma were both out for his debut game, and he still didn't play.
Now, there is an argument to be made that Richards is a better fit for the Bulls than he would have been for the Bucks. After trading for an assortment of guards at the deadline, Chicago desperately needed frontcourt size, while the Bucks already had three centers in Myles Turner, Bobby Portis, and Jericho Sims. A fourth could have created a logjam.
Still, if Richards keeps playing well while Dieng doesn't see the floor at all, many will question the Bucks' decision to make this swap. Sure, Dieng might have more upside, given that he's six years younger and hasn't played a prominent role in his career to date, but that won't help the Bucks if he remains out of the rotation.
Whether fans would have preferred Richards or Dieng, the biggest issue is that the Bucks didn't get any draft capital for either. By initially taking on Richards and Nigel Hayes-Davis, Milwaukee helped their 2021 NBA Finals opponent dodge the tax. By sending him to Chicago, they gave the Bulls an actual center to complement their surplus of guards.
Even one second-round pick could have made this deadline far more satisfying, given Milwaukee's near-empty asset cupboard.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.