Cole Anthony’s move to Australia has only sharpened the spotlight on Milwaukee’s trade for Ousmane Dieng.
The Bucks landed Dieng last season in a deal that sent Anthony and Amir Coffey out, and the French forward has already turned that opportunity into real security. Dieng just signed a three-year, $17.5 million contract with Milwaukee after putting together a strong run in 30 games, and the numbers backed up the eye test: 11 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. He had flashed upside with the Thunder before, but in Wisconsin he got a longer leash and the kind of extended NBA run that helped him earn the new deal.
Anthony’s path took a very different turn. He opened his Bucks stint well, dropping a season-high 23 points in his second game, but the momentum didn’t last.
His minutes swung up and down, and by December he had slipped out of the rotation and couldn’t claw his way back. He was later waived by the Phoenix Suns in February without appearing in a game, and now he’s signed a one-year deal with Melbourne United.
That move sends Anthony overseas, where he’ll link up with Joe Ingles. The two previously played 75 games together with the Magic.
Coffey is also gone from the NBA, heading to Europe to join Hapoel Tel Aviv. The deal also included center Nick Richards, who was flipped to Chicago to help Milwaukee get Dieng; Richards remains a free agent. When the dust settled, the Bucks walked away with the player who offered the most upside, while the other two pieces of the transaction had already fallen out of the rotation.
The bigger picture for Milwaukee is just as encouraging in the backcourt. Last season, the Bucks struggled to find the right partner for Ryan Rollins.
Kevin Porter Jr. gave them an offensive lift, but Doc Rivers never settled on a reliable combination. Anthony had a brief run of promise before fading fast, and that left the position in flux.
Now the group looks sturdier. Rollins and Porter have another year of experience, Tyler Herro brings scoring at shooting guard, and Kasparas Jakucionis arrives as a traditional point guard with plenty of upside. Brayden Burries turned heads in Summer League and looks like a real rotational candidate, while two-way guard Kam Jones could also see the floor.
Anthony is only 26, so there’s still time for him to rebuild his NBA case. A season overseas with a bigger role should give him the chance to reset. For Milwaukee, though, the trade keeps looking smarter.
In Other News...
Lakers May Still Be Chasing Athletic Wing Help Before Camp
The Cavaliers search for a young athletic wing has taken another turn as their pursuit of Jonathan Kuminga continues to stall over contract demands. With camp approaching, Cleveland has reportedly started weighing Peyton Watson as a fallback option, and the broader market around wing help is still active enough that sign-and-trade talks are reportedly involving multiple teams.
For Milwaukee, the most interesting part is the way these discussions can ripple beyond one roster and one target. Watsons situation has become part of a larger chain of negotiations, and if the sides never land on a long-term arrangement, his status could remain fluid well into the future. For a Bucks front office that has spent plenty of time hunting for size, length and defensive versatility on the wing, it is the kind of ongoing subplot worth watching as the offseason edges toward camp. [Read more 🡒]
Bucks Face One Key Hurdle In Peyton Watson Pursuit
Peyton Watsons breakout season has left Denver with a familiar offseason problem: a young player who has earned a bigger role, but a contract path that is far from simple. Because Watson is a restricted free agent, the Nuggets still control the process, yet the luxury tax penalties tied to a straightforward re-signing make a sign-and-trade feel like the cleaner route. That has opened the door to a small pool of possible partners, with the Hawks, Cavaliers, Clippers and Bucks all mentioned as clubs that could help structure something workable.
For Milwaukee, the appeal is obvious enough. Watson is the kind of athletic, versatile piece teams covet, especially if the Bucks are trying to stay flexible while adding younger talent around their core. The challenge is that any deal would have to make sense for Denvers books as well as Milwaukees roster, and those layers of financial and personnel pressure can make even a promising trade market move slowly. [Read more 🡒]
Tyler Herro Already Has Bucks Fans Talking After Giannis Trade
Tyler Herro is already giving Bucks fans something to chew on before his first season in Milwaukee even tips off. Acquired from Miami in the blockbuster deal that sent Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis Jr. to the Heat, Herro has stepped into one of the strangest storylines of the offseason, one that instantly changed the look and feel of the Bucks roster and the conversation around the team.
When asked about the craziest trade of the summer, Herro leaned into the moment with a joke about the very deal that brought him to Milwaukee, and the reaction around him was immediate. Fans and teammates took notice, and Herro has also made it clear he is looking forward to playing in front of his hometown crowd in Wisconsin, adding another layer to a move that already feels loaded with intrigue. [Read more 🡒]