Coby White has yet to make his debut for the Charlotte Hornets since being acquired at the trade deadline, still sidelined by a calf injury. And while the Hornets didn’t have to empty the war chest to land him-sending out Collin Sexton, Ousmane Dieng, and a couple of second-round picks-the early returns are raising some eyebrows, especially when it comes to one of those outgoing pieces.
The focus here isn’t on Sexton or the picks. It’s on Dieng.
Ousmane Dieng, a 6'9" wing with a 7-foot wingspan and just 22 years old, wasn’t exactly lighting up box scores in Oklahoma City, but his blend of size, length, and untapped potential made him an intriguing developmental piece. And in a Hornets rotation that’s still searching for long-term answers on the wing, his skill set might’ve been more valuable than initially thought.
Since the trade, Dieng has already been on the move again-flipped by Chicago to Milwaukee-and it’s with the Bucks that he’s starting to flash some of the upside that made him the 11th overall pick in the draft. In his first three games with Milwaukee, he’s averaging 12.7 points, five boards, and 1.3 blocks in just over 21 minutes per game. He’s shooting a blistering 56 percent from the field and 50 percent from deep.
Yes, it’s a small sample size. But that’s not nothing.
Dieng’s career averages-4.4 points per game on 42.9 percent shooting overall and just 31.6 percent from beyond the arc-don’t jump off the page. But context matters.
He hasn’t had consistent minutes, and the development curve for young wings in this league can be steep. Milwaukee might be in a better position to give him the runway he needs.
Back in Charlotte, the Hornets made the move for White with a clear goal in mind: accelerate the rebuild. They’ve got a promising young core, and the front office clearly saw White as someone who could slot in and elevate the group. He’s a dynamic scoring guard, still just 25, and when healthy, he brings shot creation and playmaking that could help unlock the offense.
But here’s where things get tricky. White is set to hit free agency this summer.
And while Charlotte likely made the move believing they’d have a strong shot at re-signing him, there are no guarantees in July. If he walks, the Hornets are left with a short-term rental that cost them a promising young wing and draft capital.
It’s too early to call this a misstep. White hasn’t played yet, and he could still prove to be a difference-maker once he’s healthy. But with Dieng already turning heads in Milwaukee, and White’s future in Charlotte still uncertain, this is one deal that could look very different in hindsight depending on how things shake out over the next few months.
For now, the Hornets are betting on upside with White. But they might want to keep an eye on what Dieng is doing up north-because if his early flashes turn into something more, Charlotte may end up wishing they had held onto the young wing just a little longer.