The Milwaukee Bucks got a glimpse of their newest additions Monday night in Orlando, as Cam Thomas and Ousmane Dieng suited up for the first time in green and cream. While the night ended in a 118-99 loss to the Magic, it also marked a small but significant step forward for a young player trying to carve out his place in the league.
Let’s start with Dieng, the 22-year-old forward who’s now on his third team in a matter of days. After being dealt from Oklahoma City to Chicago and then rerouted to Milwaukee in a three-team deal involving the Suns, the former first-round pick finally hit the floor in a Bucks uniform. And while the game was already out of reach when he checked in late in the fourth, Dieng made the most of his limited window.
With under three minutes to play, Dieng got an isolation look against Magic rookie Jase Richardson. He took him off the dribble, got to his spot in the midrange, and calmly knocked down his first bucket as a Buck. It was a smooth, confident move - the kind you like to see from a young player stepping into a new system.
In his five minutes of action, Dieng finished with two points on 1-of-3 shooting, adding a rebound and a steal. Not eye-popping numbers, but again, this was about getting his feet wet and showing he’s ready to contribute when called upon.
The trade that brought Dieng to Milwaukee was part of a broader reshuffling at the deadline. The Bucks sent Cole Anthony and Amir Coffey to Phoenix, receiving Dieng and Nigel Hayes-Davis in return. It’s a move that gives Milwaukee a mix of youth and flexibility - and for Dieng, it’s a fresh opportunity to grow within a contender’s infrastructure.
Before the trade carousel, Dieng was averaging 10.9 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 1.0 steals in 27 games for the defending champion Thunder. That stint in OKC gave him meaningful reps, and now the Bucks are hoping to tap into that potential as they gear up for a playoff push.
As for the game itself, Kevin Porter Jr. led the way for Milwaukee with 28 points, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a sharp-shooting Orlando squad. Anthony Black and Desmond Bane combined for 51 points, pacing the Magic to a wire-to-wire win.
Still, even in a tough loss, there were glimpses of what the Bucks might be building toward. For Ousmane Dieng, it was a small moment - one bucket in a blowout - but it could be the start of something bigger.