Instant Grades: How Suns Did at NBA Trade Deadline

The Phoenix Suns were active — but was it enough?

Jan 29, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns head coach Jordan Ott against the Detroit Pistons at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The NBA trade deadline has officially passed its 1:00 PM MST expiration, putting an official end to deals, speculation and rumors around what the Phoenix Suns and every other team could do to improve their team.

While the league is sure to see a few names hit the open market as buyout season is upon us, the Suns' roster will largely be solidified ahead of their exciting yet unexpected postseason push down the stretch of the 2025-26 season.

Phoenix made good on their promise to be active at this year's deadline, ultimately striking a deal to send Nick Richards and Nigel Hayes-Davis to the Milwaukee Bucks for Cole Anthony and Amir Coffey. You can read more about that trade here.

That was the only move the Suns made — was it enough? Should Phoenix have made more moves?

Grading Suns' Trade Deadline

Nov 6, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns center Nick Richards (2) against the Los Angeles Clippers at the Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Donnie Druin: B+

The Suns, given the nature of their team, didn't have bountiful opportunities to really improve their roster and take things to the next level aside from power forward scoring. Phoenix's lineup has really flexed its muscles under first-year head coach Jordan Ott, so a big move didn't feel like it was on the table given their 31-20 record. Also, Jalen Green's pending return to full health should give the Suns a boost.

Perhaps the team will look for bigger moves after this season when they have an idea of what their full squad looks like healthy, but the Suns did well here. Anthony and Coffey won't crack Phoenix's rotation, though the name of the game wasn't to add more minutes — it was to get themselves under the luxury tax.

The Suns don't get an A grade simply because they didn't emerge as a night-and-day better team, but in the long-term they helped themselves greatly by getting under the tax threshold without really touching their true core players. Phoenix did what it had to do and handled business. It won't get national attention, but the Suns did emerge as winners at the trade deadline.

Brendan Mau: B

Phoenix had said that it's biggest trade deadline "addition" would be Green, and there weren't many big names on the market worth breaking up its rotation that has led the Suns to being perhaps the biggest surprise team in the NBA.

However, the Suns still have a glaring need at power forward, but this can be addressed in the offseason when they figure out just how far this iteration of the roster can take them.

The most important thing for the Suns was getting under the tax, and they were able to do so without giving up rotation players, picks or cash, and they are also now able to sign Jamaree Bouyea or Isaiah Livers to a standard contract (maybe both if one of Anthony or Coffey is waived), which is another "addition" in itself.

Would it have been nice to see the Suns address their need at power forward even if it was a marginal move? Yes, and that is why they get a B, but they accomplished their main goal of ducking the tax, are now able to sign Bouyea or Livers and added some fliers in Anthony and Coffey that could join the rotation if absolutely necessary.