The Milwaukee Bucks swung their first deal of trade season by acquiring Nick Richards and Nigel Hayes-Davis from Phoenix in exchange for Cole Anthony and Amir Coffey. The move sneaks the Suns below the luxury tax by sending Richards' $5 million salary to Milwaukee. Somehow, the Bucks did a foe this favor without requiring some kind of draft capital in return.
Bucks just did the Suns a massive favor
Sending back draft picks for financial favors is standard practice in the NBA. Earlier this week, the Bulls netted two second-rounders just for taking back Dario Saric in a deal between Cleveland and Sacramento. Other teams have done the same. For the Suns, moving off Richards' salary moves them from just above the tax threshold to around $2.4 million below it, saving them significant payroll penalties. Inexplicably, the Bucks offered this benefit free of charge.
While Richards could actually help them with his rebounding, any delta in the talent changing hands is negligible. Richards was a non-factor in the Suns' rotation, averaging 3.2 points and 3.3 rebounds in nine minutes per game. The Bucks hope he can get back to being a useful reserve, but this is clearly a buy-low swing. Statistically, Anthony and Coffey have been more productive than either Richards or Hayes-Davis.
Since all the salaries involved are expiring, it's not like the Suns are relieving Milwaukee of any financial commitment beyond this season. How the Bucks failed to retrieve a second-round pick in the transaction is a puzzle.
As it is, the deal gives Milwaukee a potential bench upgrade in Richards over Jericho Sims. The Suns get a ball-handler and secondary playmaker in Anthony. A disappointment for the Bucks, Coffey is at least an NBA player. Hayes-Davis had been out of the league since 2017-18, his only season before this one. Without gaining something else in the maneuver, it's hard to understand it from a Bucks perspective except as a precursor to another move.
Getting the Suns' 2026 second-round pick, an unprotected selection via one of the Thunder, Mavericks, or 76ers, could have made the move worthwhile in itself. Phoenix also has its own 2029 second-rounder to trade. The Bucks got neither while pushing the Suns below the tax.
Despite a golden opportunity to start restocking a depleted draft stash, they came away empty-handed. The Bucks remain one of the few teams in the league without a moveable second-round pick at their disposal. If there's a winner in this trade, it feels like Phoenix.