Sun 2026 NBA trade deadline grade after 1 deal

The The Phoenix Suns pulled off one trade during NBA trade deadlinebut they needed it. General manager Brian Gregory was willing to put the team under the luxury tax, and yet he found someone who fits what they’re building.

For a team that lacks frontcourt size, they ended up getting a nice return. They sent on Nick Richards and Nigel Hayes-Davies in exchange for Amir Coffey and Cole Anthony.

While the latter may not be a good fit due to Phoenix’s loaded linebacker depth, Coffey brings something nice. He is a versatile defender with an elevated offensive game.

The world saw how he could be used off the ball when he was with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Coffey brings size and contributes to the rotation. He might not get the minutes that someone like Jordan Goodwin does, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be a valuable part of the team.

He is a professional, he has been in the league for seven seasons, and he understands his role.

“He’s an NBA player. Amir’s been around the league. He’s seen a ton of different things,” Suns head coach Jordan Ott said before the team’s Feb. 7 game against the Philadelphia 76ers.

“He kind of knows our style of play, even though we didn’t play those guys in Milwaukee. It’s more defensive, just coverage, based on terminology.”

Amir Coffey beat the Suns at the trade deadline

A good part of what they needed was a reduction in the luxury tax. After the Suns struggled in the second tier last season, that was not the case in 2025-26.

The trade of Richards and Hayes-Davies made it possible for them it goes under the luxury tax. Granted, team majority owner Mat Ishbia probably wouldn’t mind paying for it, but it gives them more flexibility moving forward.

Also, the previous two Phoenix greats have fallen out of the rotation in the last month. They didn’t necessarily fit Otto’s system of pace, space and versatility.

Coffey, on the other hand, has all that the Sun is looking for. Size, shooting, athleticism, and most importantly, defense.

With the fifth-best defense in terms of points allowed per game and the ninth-best defensive rating, that’s their identity: defense to offense.

The Suns did exactly what they were supposed to do

It wasn’t an eventful trade deadline, but it was bound to happen. Trading Richards has been a thought all season long, especially given how the Suns’ center rotation has been going.

They prioritize defense, length and versatility. Richards doesn’t add much, even if he is a solid post threat and arguably the best rebounder from deep at the position.

For Hayes-Davies, his success overseas hasn’t quite translated. His high post play required the offense to stop for a while. In an offense that prioritizes ball movement and spacing, that wasn’t good.

Regardless, the two players kept a good attitude and continued to inject life into the team, rather than take any momentum out of it.

Now both players will have the opportunity to have bigger roles in their respective teams. Meanwhile, Coffey transitions from a losing team to one on the rise.

Gregory seems to have had a vision of rock and executed it to the ideal of imagination.

Suns trade deadline grade: B

Again, this wasn’t a groundbreaking trade deadline, but one that fine tunes the cap and roster flexibility for the summer.