The NBA trade deadline ended up being a memorable one, and although Giannis Antetokounmpo ended up staying with the Milwaukee Bucks, the Phoenix Suns did a deal with them anyway.
Nigel Hayes-Davis and Nick Richards heading out for Cole Anthony and Amir Coffey, before it was revealed Richards was actually heading to the Chicago Bulls instead.
Jamaree Bouyea real winner of Suns' late trade
Most assume that Phoenix only did the trade to get under the tax for the first time since 2021-22. With all four players involved free agents this summer, that certainly makes a lot of sense.
It also frees up a roster spot for the Suns to add a player to their squad, and two-way point guard Jamaree Bouyea is surely the player they are going to convert to a full-time deal.
Although the addition of Anthony is intriguing, he's a player who would have excelled in The Valley two years ago. Head coach Jordan Ott having gotten a great floor general rotation out of Bouyea, Collin Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin.
Back in June of 2023 I said the #Suns should try and get Cole Anthony to The Valley and nearly three years later it actually happened, better late than never?! 😅 (✍🏻 @ValleyoftheSuns)https://t.co/iKsFBt3OuL
— Luke Duffy (@LucaLockheart) February 5, 2026
Which is why he deserves to come off the two-way contract he is on, and follow in the footsteps of Gillespie who did the same last season to become a standout performer this time around.
In an ironic twist, Bouyea's last team that he played for before joining the Suns? A five game stint with the Bucks, as part of six teams across four seasons.
While he definitely deserves the opportunity and financial security that being brought onto a full-time deal will bring, this represents a departure from the norm for owner Mat Ishbia.
He managed to sit out the juicier trades that were clearly available at the deadline, opting instead for a cost saving measure that has been done in the right way.
Anthony is a much more known player even than Bouyea, but it is not even a guarantee that he will ever suit up for the Suns. This move was all about saving money and creating space for Bouyea.
It is also a vote of confidence for both Gillespie and Goodwin, although keeping all three together is going to be difficult with how well they have played this season.
But for a 26-year-old who has only played 25 times for the Suns this season, and who was running out of games he could appear in as part of his two-way contract, this is a massive win for his career.