Look, I’ll keep this relatively brief. I recognize that there are far greater reasons to slap the Chicago Bulls’ front office on the wrist, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t keeping an eye on Osumane Dieng in Milwaukee.
Arturas Karnisovas’ trade deadline has gone from good to bad to worse. It started to venture into that middle threshold once he made the perplexing move for Nick Richards. Yes, the Chicago Bulls were lacking traditional size in the frontcourt. But was solving that problem really a necessity in an already lost season?
What felt far more paramount was evaluating young talent who could potentially be a piece of the puzzle down the road. It’s the best way for a rebuilding team to make the most of the last month or so of the season. The Bulls appeared as if they understood that by adding Jaden Ivey (oops), Rob Dillingham, Leonard Miller, and eventually Dieng. However, the Bulls then proceeded to flip Dieng for Richards and hold onto veteran guard Collin Sexton. Throw in the previous additions of Guerschon Yabusele and Anfernee Simons, and what felt like a clear plan became anything but.
Dieng was a former No. 11 overall pick who was in desperate need of playing time. He appeared in only 109 games over his first three seasons with OKC as they transitioned into win-now mode. Even more noteworthy, Dieng was headed toward restricted free agency. In other words, acquiring him could be seen as a pretty low-risk, high-reward move. You could evaluate him over the final couple of months before having full control of his future. Either re-sign him for cheap, match an offer, or let him walk.
The Bulls’ decision not to go down that road with the 22-year-old was a true head-scratcher, especially when adding “young players with experience” had been a publicly stated goal. Not to mention, Dieng seemed to fit pretty darn well with what this team has needed. He is a six-foot-ten wing with high-upside perimeter shooting and playmaking ability.
Nobody was trying to claim that he was some hidden superstar, but Dieng undoubtedly felt like the right kind of player for the Bulls to take a look at. So, naturally, he is now making them pay for not doing exactly that with the Bucks!
Ousmane Dieng Goes for Career-High