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3 burning questions after Bucks sign Dieng to multi-year deal

3 burning questions after Bucks sign Dieng to multi-year deal

How the Milwaukee Bucks roster will look is yet to be determined as the NBA offseason continues.

But at least one key piece who found his footing late in the 2025-26 season is set to be with the team for at least a handful of years moving forward.

The Bucks signed guard Ousmane Dieng to a three-year, $17.5 million deal, as ESPN's Shams Charania reported Tuesday.

Here are three burning questions moving forward after the guard's signing.

Milwaukee sputtered to the end of the season, finishing 32-50 en route to its first losing record and first time missing the postseason in a decade.

Report: Bucks will sign Ousmane Dieng to multi-year deal A rare bright spot was Dieng's play, especially in his scoring.

Dieng played in 30 games with the Bucks after being traded from the Oklahoma City Thunder during the season.

Following a few years of being in and out of the lineup with the Thunder and the G League's Oklahoma City Blue, Dieng carries a scoring average of 5.4 points per game in his career.

He started 20 games for the Bucks, and averaged career-highs in points (11), rebounds (4.6), assists (3.6) and minutes played (26.8) during his short time with the Bucks, according to Basketball Reference.

Dieng was particularly important in the final month of the season.

He scored a career-best 36 points against the Houston Rockets on April 1 and averaged 16 points per game through seven games in April, according to Basketball Reference.

Part of his stats, and usage rate, came as the Bucks held many of their normal starters out toward the end of the year.

With a healthier, more filled-out roster, his role is yet to be determined, though the contract suggests Dieng will be an important contributor.

See who was named to the 2026 State Journal/WiscNews girls lacrosse All-Supernova team A bigger role, though, gives opposing teams an opportunity to scout and plan against him.

And production over a full season is much more difficult than in a short span at the end of a season with little pressure to win.

The Bucks selected former Arizona guard Brayden Burries with the 10th overall pick in the NBA Draft.

Taking a combo guardA a Dieng's position late last seasonA a with the organization's first lottery pick in some time suggests that Milwaukee will look to Burries to play big minutes early in his rookie year.

It's possible that the Bucks could play Dieng as a third perimeter player if Burries becomes a starter, though guard AJ Green was a regular part of the starting group when healthy.

How Mariah Antetokounmpo showed up for Milwaukee and helped families Guards Kevin Porter Jr.

and Ryan Rollins are, at the moment, part of the Bucks' plan moving forward too.

Unless the Bucks make more roster moves, incoming coach Taylor Jenkins will have decisions to make in the backcourt rotation.

Despite Dieng's offensive production, shooting from the perimeter remained a weakness.

He shot 33.1% from 3 in his time with the Bucks, according to Basketball Reference.

That's well below the 36% league average, according to Basketball Reference.

Again, the Bucks will have a different identity with a new coach and roster.

But their 38.7% shooting from distance was second-best in the NBA and the top mark in the Eastern Conference, according to Basketball Reference.

Bucks' Taurean Prince reportedly opts in to his contract for '26-27 season Fellow regularly contributing guards Green (41.9%), Gary Harris (41.2%), Rollins (40.6%) and Gary Trent Jr.

(36%) each had better percentages from 3 this season.

Burries also shot 39.1% from distance in college.

Milwaukee will no longer boast the abilities of Giannis Antetokounmpo to get teammates open for 3, but there's enough of last year's roster left over to suggest the team will look to score well from outside.

When divvying out playing time among guards, success from 3 could prove a factor.

A scheduling conflict forced the Milwaukee Bucks to play their 1970 NBA playoff series against the 76ers in Madison.

Relive the clinching game played at the UW Field House.

Bucks crowd Philly out of the playoffs.

Bucks close out Philadelphia in Eastern Division semifinals at UW Field House.

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