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Why Phoenix Suns dealt two players to Bucks before trade deadline
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- Why Phoenix Suns dealt two players to Bucks before trade deadline
The Phoenix Suns are trading center Nick Richards and forward Nigel Hayes-Davis to the Milwaukee Bucks for guards Cole Anthony and Amir Coffey , sources have confirmed to The Arizona Republic.
"Those guys were great teammates," Suns guard Grayson Allen said. "They were a great part of our team. Their energy, work ethic. Their attitude in practice. Attitude towards the group even when they're not playing was awesome this year. They didn't take away from what we were doing. They didn't bring any of the guys down by sulking or being sad that they weren't playing."
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ESPN's Shams Charania first reported the news, which broke just hours before the 1 p.m. MST trade deadline on Feb. 5.
Richards averaged a career-low 3.2 points and 3.3 rebounds in 28 games in his second year with the Suns, while Hayes-Davis averaged 1.3 points in 27 games in his first year in Phoenix.
"They were really good for us, really good in practice and helpful in the stints they played," Allen added. "I'll miss those guys. They were really good teammates."
The Bucks have since traded Richards to the Chicago Bulls for Ousmane Dieng , Charania reported.
With this move, the Suns (31-20) are $2.2 million below the league luxury tax, ESPN's Bobby Marks reported, as Richards and Hayes-Davis are on expiring contracts, as are Anthony and Coffey.
Phoenix is now under the luxury tax for the first time since the 2021-22 season. The franchise has paid a combined $265 million in tax penalties, Marks reported.
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Sources informed The Republic that the Suns have been looking to move Richards and Hayes-Davis for quite some time, as both have been out of the rotation for the majority of the season.
Anthony and Coffey were with the Bucks (20-29) for their last game Feb. 4 against the New Orleans Pelicans . Coffey scored 16 points, missing only one of his eight shot attempts, in Milwaukee's 141-137 overtime home victory while Anthony didn't play.
"I think both of those guys are going to be good pieces," Allen said. "Add to what we have going. I think we have a really good thing going with this group. Those guys coming in just uplift it a little bit more."
The Suns have been rolling with Mark Williams starting at center and Oso Ighodaro serving as a backup. Williams was the projected starter going into the season as the Suns traded two first-round picks to Charlotte for the 7-footer out of Duke, who was the 15th overall pick in the 2022 draft.
Washington Wizards guard Tre Johnson (12) challenges a layup attempt by Phoenix Suns center Nick Richards (2) during the first quarter at Capital One Arena on Dec. 29, 2025.
Phoenix came into the 2025-26 season with four bigs in rookie 7-footer Khaman Maluach , the 10th overall pick in the 2025 draft, Williams, Ighodaro and Richards.
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With Williams playing just 106 games in three seasons in Charlotte due to injuries, the Suns put him on an intentional conditioning plan that began last summer with building and strengthening his lower body.
He didn't play in any of the team's four preseason games, started the regular season coming off the bench and wasn't playing the second of back-to-backs.
The plan has worked as Williams has played in a career-high 46 games. Missing just five games this season with only one due to injury, Williams is averaging 12.3 points on a career-best 66% shooting and 8.1 rebounds.
First-year Suns head coach Jordan Ott experimented early with playing Williams, Ighodaro and Richards as the 19-year-old Maluach spent time in the G League with the Valley Suns.
Phoenix Suns forward Oso Ighodaro (11) dribbles defended by Detroit Pistons forward Isaiah Stewart (28) in the first half at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, on Jan. 15, 2026.
Ott eventually settled with Williams and Ighodaro in the rotation.
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Averaging 5.5 points on a career-best 61.6% shooting in his second NBA season, the 6-foot-10 Ighodaro brings a unique skill set of passing, screening and ball handling that enables the Suns to run the offense through him at times.
As a result, Richards became even more expendable.
A second-round pick in the 2020 draft out of Kentucky, Richards last played double-figure minutes in consecutive games in mid-November.
Phoenix acquired Richards from Charlotte before last season's trade deadline.
Nigel Hayes-Davis #21 of the Phoenix Suns drives against Chris Youngblood #3 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half of the Emirates NBA Cup - Quarterfinals game at Paycom Center on Dec. 10, 2025, in Oklahoma City.
As for Hayes-Davis, the Suns signed him last summer. The 6-foot-7 forward was with three NBA teams in his first NBA season in 2017-18. He then had a successful run overseas before returning to the league this year.
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Hayes-Davis averaged 16.7 points on 45.6% shooting, 5.3 rebounds, 1.1 steals and shot 41% from 3 in 39 EuroLeague regular season games last season for Fenerbahce. He shot 41% from 3.
The 30-year-old played double-digit minutes in four of Phoenix's first six games, but scored a total of 16 points. Missing 10 of his first 11 3-point shots through December, Hayes-Davis went 2-of-16 from deep with the Suns.
Jordan Goodwin played in three of Phoenix's first six games, but has since become a major force for the Suns with his defense, offensive rebounding and energy.
Averaging 8.8 points, 1.9 offensive rebounds and shooting 35.6% from 3, the 6-foot-3 Goodwin has emerged as the team's best on-ball defender.
Anthony spent his first five seasons with the Orlando Magic before being traded to Memphis last summer. The Grizzlies then waived Anthony, who agreed to a contract buyout to sign with the Bucks.
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The 6-foot-2 guard is averaging 6.7 points, 3.5 assists and 2.5 rebounds this season.
A first-round pick in the 2020 draft out of North Carolina, Anthony is shooting a career-low 30.6% from 3.
Coffey, a 6-foot-7 perimeter player, spent his first six NBA seasons with the Clippers (2019-25) before signing with the Bucks last summer after becoming an unrestricted free agent.
He's averaged 2.4 points and shot just 28% from 3 in 30 games with the Bucks.
Last season, Coffey averaged a career-high 9.7 points, making 40.9% of his 3s, in 72 games, also a career best.
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin .
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Suns, Bucks make 4-player deal right before trade deadline
