Cole Anthony is on the move. I can confirm the Phoenix Suns are finalizing a deal to bring in the 24-year-old guard, with big man Nick Richards headed to the Milwaukee Bucks in a related move. The phones lit up fast. Both teams are acting with clear intent, and the ripple effect hits the Western and Eastern races right away.
Full trade terms are still being finalized, pending league approval.
What I’m hearing about the deal
Phoenix gets a proven bench scorer and ball handler who can play next to stars. Milwaukee gets size and rim protection behind its All-NBA cornerstone. The timing matters. The Bucks are locking in on the present. The Suns are solving a real need without touching their core.
Phoenix has asked for more creation for months. Cole Anthony fits that bill. He gives them pace, punch, and a steady pull-up game. Milwaukee has searched for a true vertical threat at the five who rebounds in traffic. Richards plugs that hole, and he does it on a team-friendly number.
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Cole Anthony’s fit in Phoenix
Anthony brings juice to a second unit that has stalled too often. He can play on or off the ball. He is fearless in late-clock situations. He drives, collapses the defense, and sprays to shooters. His catch-and-shoot touch has grown. He is also a hardened pick and roll guard who lives in the mid-range when needed.
- Instant bench offense, with downhill burst and a quick first step
- Secondary playmaking that eases the load on Devin Booker and Bradley Beal
- Improved spot-up shooting that keeps spacing clean
- Competitive edge that travels in road games
This is the kind of guard Phoenix has hunted, a connector who still gets his own shot. Watch the Suns stagger Booker and Anthony to keep one live creator on the floor at all times. Watch Anthony share minutes with Grayson Allen to juice pace and threes. He will see time with small-ball groups that switch and run. The Suns need simple reads and clean paint touches. Anthony gives them both.
Phoenix adds creation without touching its stars or wings. That matters in a tight title window.
The cap and the rotation
Phoenix is cap strapped, which limits options. This move slides into that reality. The Suns have to win at the margins, not with splashy adds. Anthony is a cost-controlled bet on age, skill, and energy. He helps now and still has room to grow.
Expect Frank Vogel’s staff to test lineups fast. Anthony plus Booker gives Phoenix two handlers in crunch time. Anthony plus Beal lets Beal hunt scoring pockets while Anthony organizes. He has to guard his position, and he knows it. The Suns will protect him with length on the wings and a clear scheme. His rebounding from the guard spot is a sneaky boost. One board, push the break, easy points.
Why Milwaukee wanted Nick Richards
The Bucks have leaned on Brook Lopez for years. They needed another true center who runs, jumps, and cleans the glass. Richards checks those boxes. He screens with force, dives hard, and puts pressure on the rim. He blocks shots with timing, not guesswork. That allows Milwaukee to keep its paint defense sharp when Lopez sits.
- Reliable rim protection, plus vertical spacing as a lob target
- Offensive rebounding to extend possessions
- Drop coverage comfort that fits Milwaukee’s base
- Low-usage, high-impact minutes that pair well with stars
This is a nod to playoff basketball. Possessions slow. Easy points vanish. Lob threats matter. Extra rebounds matter. Richards gives the Bucks a different look in the second unit, and a safety net if foul trouble hits.
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What this says about both teams
The Suns are signaling urgency. They want cleaner offense when their stars rest. They want to avoid the scoring droughts that burned them last spring. Anthony should unlock more drive and kick, more movement, and better bench shots. He will feel the heat fast. Phoenix expects to win now. Role clarity follows pressure, and his role is clear.
The Bucks are making a posture play. They just quieted noise around their franchise player. They are building out the roster with purpose. More size, more rim protection, more certainty in rotation minutes. That is how you prepare for a deep run. That is how you protect your star’s workload across an 82-game grind.
This is not a blockbuster, but it is smart roster work by two contenders. Moves like this decide Game 5s and swing series. Phoenix adds a live dribble and a spark. Milwaukee adds a wall at the rim and a target in the air. The margins just moved.
Conclusion: Cole Anthony lands in the desert with a green light and a clear job. Nick Richards heads to Milwaukee to anchor second units and steady the paint. Both teams filled real needs. Both teams got better today. Now the clock starts on fit, chemistry, and playoff proof.
