The Milwaukee Bucks‘ only additions at the NBA trade deadline came in the form of forwards Ousmane Dieng and Nigel Hayes-Davis through a three-team deal featuring Phoenix and Chicago. Former Bucks Amir Coffey and Cole Anthony are Suns, while center Nick Richards will don a Bulls jersey.
Is the move much more than a big nothing sandwich? Probably not, though the Bucks do get a free roll with a former lottery pick in Dieng, currently in the final year of the rookie contract he signed with the Thunder.
Parsing through the details of every reported deal this trade season, ESPN handed out middling marks to each participant in the Bucks-Bulls-Suns maneuver: a B, a B, and a B-minus. Albeit not by much, Milwaukee drew the shortest straw in the eyes of their evaluators.
Trade unlikely to move the needle for anyone involved
Statistically speaking, the Bucks sent out the most production while returning the least. For all the frustration Amir Coffey and Cole Anthony inflicted on fans, their combined 9.1 points per game, plus 3.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists, easily outdoes the incoming numbers of Dieng and Hayes-Davis. The newest Bucks total a nightly average of five points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.3 assists. Richards averaged 3.2 points and 3.3 rebounds for Phoenix.
Feb 3, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Ousmane Dieng (13) dribbles down the court against the Milwaukee Bucks during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Stats, of course, can be superficial. Anthony and Coffey were largely unplayable in Milwaukee’s rotation. While Hayes-Davis is unlikely to give them much, Dieng, 22, could still become a productive NBA player. The former 11th overall pick from France did show signs of growth this season in Oklahoma City, shooting a career-best 36.7% beyond the arc.
The fact that Dieng will be a restricted rather than unrestricted free agent this offseason gives the Bucks more flexibility to retain him if flashes promise.
The Bulls, meanwhile, add depth at center after trading Nikola Vucevic to Boston. The Suns get a backup point guard in Anthony, a player they might actually use. The team clearly did not value Richards despite his contributions (9.5 PPG, 8.6 RPG) after joining Phoenix at last year’s deadline.
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