Bucks–Suns trade sends Cole Anthony and Amir Coffey to Phoenix

With the NBA trade deadline set for 3 p.m. ET on Thursday, Feb. 5, Milwaukee and Phoenix completed a straightforward swap designed to solve different problems: the Bucks needed size and a true center option, while the Suns needed guard depth and salary flexibility. The deal sends Cole Anthony and Amir Coffey to the Suns, with Nick Richards and Nigel Hayes-Davis headed to the Bucks.

What the trade is, and why it happened now

Milwaukee’s motivation is clear on the roster: a reliable, physical center who can soak up regular-season minutes and cover matchups where small-ball lineups get punished. Richards fits that need as a rim-running big who can rebound and protect the paint.

Phoenix’s motivation is equally clear: more ballhandling and shot creation behind its stars, plus a wing body in Coffey. Just as important, the structure helps Phoenix manage the tax line and keep options open for additional moves before the deadline.

Milwaukee’s side: Nick Richards solves a positional hole

Richards gives the Bucks a conventional center look—screening, vertical spacing, and defensive size—without asking the team to overhaul its identity. The value here isn’t only what he does in a perfect playoff matchup; it’s also what he does in February and March when rotations get stretched and defensive rebounding swings close games.

Nigel Hayes-Davis is the “swing” piece for Milwaukee. He’s a strong-bodied forward who has been productive overseas and now gets another NBA runway. The Bucks don’t need him to be a star; they need him to compete, defend, and survive possessions on the wing when lineups get thin.

Phoenix’s side: Cole Anthony adds pace and creation

For the Suns, Anthony is the headline. He’s a guard who can push tempo, pressure the rim, and create his own shot—traits Phoenix has leaned on in stretches when the offense bogs down or the second unit needs a spark. The key will be role definition: Anthony is most effective when he has the ball, so Phoenix will need a clear plan for how he’s staggered with primary creators.

Coffey is a practical add-on: wing size, a willingness to defend, and a plug-and-play style that can work in multiple lineup combinations. He’s not arriving as a focal point—he’s arriving as a minutes-eater who can keep the system intact.

Contract and roster math that shaped the deal

Anthony’s contract was one of the reasons he was movable: a meaningful one-year salary slot that can be rerouted without long-term commitment. Coffey’s deal is smaller and easier to absorb. Richards comes in as a cost-controlled big relative to the impact of simply having a center available every night.

The transaction also reflects a deadline reality: contenders often pay for clean positional fixes, while teams managing the tax line prize contracts they can move without losing talent at the top of the roster.

What to watch next after this move

Two immediate questions will decide how this looks by the end of March:

• How Phoenix uses Anthony: If he’s paired with lineups that maximize his downhill pressure and limit “your turn, my turn” possessions, his impact can show quickly.

• Richards’ minutes in Milwaukee: If he reliably absorbs center minutes and improves rebounding outcomes, the trade has already done its job before the postseason even starts.

• Hayes-Davis’ role: If he earns real rotation time, Milwaukee effectively found an extra wing body without paying a premium elsewhere.

The deadline is still live, so this could also be a first domino. Phoenix may still look for another defensive piece, and Milwaukee could continue shopping for shooting or another perimeter defender now that it has addressed the frontcourt.

Sources consulted: NBA.com, ESPN, Hoops Rumors, Spotrac