Suns Trade Nick Richards, Nigel Hayes-Davis to Bucks for Cole Anthony, Amir Coffey

NBA writers analyze the trade deadline deal between the Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks.

Feb. 6, 2026 at 9:15am

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The Phoenix Suns traded center Nick Richards and forward Nigel Hayes-Davis to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for guard Cole Anthony and forward Amir Coffey. The trade was made for financial reasons, as the Suns looked to get under the luxury tax threshold. NBA writers provided their analysis on the deal, with some seeing it as a low-cost move for the Suns to add scoring depth, while others noted the Suns may miss Richards' size and Hayes-Davis' experience down the stretch.

Why it matters

The trade allowed the Suns to shed salary and get under the luxury tax, which was the primary motivation behind the deal. It also provided the Suns with additional backcourt depth in Anthony, who has shown scoring ability in the past, and Coffey, who is looking to regain his shooting touch from his time with the Clippers.

The details

In the trade, the Suns sent center Nick Richards and forward Nigel Hayes-Davis to the Bucks in exchange for guard Cole Anthony and forward Amir Coffey. The Bucks later traded Richards to the Chicago Bulls. The Suns made the deal to get under the luxury tax threshold, saving them significant money. Anthony provides the Suns with another scoring option in the backcourt, while Coffey is looking to bounce back after struggling with his shot in Milwaukee.

  • The trade was made at the 2026 NBA trade deadline on February 6, 2026.

The players

Nick Richards

A center who was traded from the Phoenix Suns to the Milwaukee Bucks as part of the deal.

Nigel Hayes-Davis

A forward who was traded from the Phoenix Suns to the Milwaukee Bucks as part of the deal.

Cole Anthony

A guard who was traded from the Milwaukee Bucks to the Phoenix Suns as part of the deal.

Amir Coffey

A forward who was traded from the Milwaukee Bucks to the Phoenix Suns as part of the deal.

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What they’re saying

“The Suns made this trade for financial reasons. Getting off Richards and Hayes-Davis gets them out of the tax, saving them substantial money.”

— Stephen Noh

“The primary incentive for the Phoenix Suns in this deal appears to have been to get under the next tax apron, which they were able to do by shedding the salaries of Richards and Hayes-Davis. They will also add a player in Anthony who has been quiet for the Bucks this year, but had some moments as an explosive microwave scorer during his days with the Orlando Magic.”

— Jackson Stone

“The Suns get under a tax apron without having to include a draft pick. The Bucks use their remaining room beneath the tax to pick up a backup center. I like it for both teams. Milwaukee just needed some more bigs, and while Richards isn't anything special, he's at least serviceable.”

— Ricky O'Donnell

What’s next

The Suns will look to integrate Cole Anthony and Amir Coffey into their rotation, while the Bucks will aim to get the most out of Nick Richards as a backup center.

The takeaway

This trade was primarily a financial move for the Suns, as they were able to shed salary and get under the luxury tax threshold without having to include a draft pick. While the on-court impact may be minimal, the Suns were able to add some scoring depth in Anthony and hope to revive Coffey's shooting touch, while the Bucks added a serviceable backup center in Richards.