The Phoenix Suns might have been mostly good vibes and exceeding expectations this season, but the same unfortunately cannot be said for Nigel Hayes-Davis.
The 31-year-old arriving to The Valley to much fanfare, although it became clear quickly that first time head coach Jordan Ott was going in a different direction with this group.
Hayes-Davis officially headed back to Europe
The former EuroLeague Final Four MVP was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks at the deadline in a cost saving measure by the Suns, but they had no interest in keeping him.
With no other offers in the NBA for his services, one of the most dominant players in Europe in the last few years is headed back there to play for Panathinaikos of Greece.
Nigel Hayes-Davis welcome to our Family ☘️#WeTheGreens #paobcaktor #Club1908 pic.twitter.com/6oYIrydHz7
— Panathinaikos BC (@Paobcgr) February 12, 2026
If you're not familiar with that club, they are a powerhouse of European basketball. Much like the team Hayes-Davis left to come back to the league in Turkey's Fenerbahçe.
Signed through to 2028, Hayes-Davis is rumored to be making $10 million across the length of that deal. If this is true, it would make him the third highest paid player in Europe.
This is the perfect next (and likely final) step in the career of Hayes-Davis, and one that did not look guaranteed after his return to the United States turned into a nightmare.
He barely featured for the Suns and failed to have one notable game as they found themselves in the thick of the playoff race.
Rather than need Hayes-Davis to mentor some youngsters and keep the team on track through what most expected to be a lot of losing, the team left him behind early even with some injuries.
So to secure long-term financial security (this deal is nearly five times the minimum he was on in Phoenix this season), and return to Europe and still have the reputation as being a top player is huge for him.
We won't be seeing Hayes-Davis in the NBA ever again, but you can't help but admire his willingness to take less money to come back and give it one more try.
By all accounts he was a great teammate and never rocked the boat despite going from a star player to somebody who received his fair share of DNP-CDs.
Panathinaikos are looking like a force as well, with Hayes-Davis teaming up with Kendrick Nunn over there to try and bring a EuroLeague championship to the team he beat in the final the last time he won it.