Bucks Send Five-Word Message on Former $39 Million Guard

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Arnab Mondal | Last updated Jul 18, 2025 8:45 AM ET

You blink once and Damian Lillard’s gone. Blink again, and Cole Anthony is rocking green like he’s worn it his whole life. If the Milwaukee Bucks had a soft launch for change, this wasn’t it. It’s been a wild offseason. Lillard, the face of the franchise for less than a year, is out. Cole Anthony, once a starter in Orlando, now gets his shot in Milwaukee City.

The Bucks didn’t waste time welcoming him in style. On their official X handle, they dropped a short video of Anthony in a team named t-shirt. The caption? Just five words: “Cole feels great in green.” That’s it. Short, clean, and loaded with intent.

Anthony gave up $2 million in a buyout with the Grizzlies, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. He never even played a second for Memphis. They traded for him earlier this offseason, but he didn’t stay long.

Cole feels great in green. pic.twitter.com/1lce83YThk
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) July 16, 2025

Once the buyout was done, the Bucks scooped him up. ESPN had already reported the move was coming. On July 16, Milwaukee made it official.

Now, at 25, Anthony enters his sixth NBA season. Last year with the Magic, he played in 67 games and started 22. He averaged 9.4 points, 3 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in just over 18 minutes per game, according to ESPN. Not flashy, but efficient. And with no locked-in starting point guard in Milwaukee, Anthony has a chance to carve his place.

The Bucks didn’t hype him up for nothing. That short post said more than it seemed. This move isn’t about filling a team spot, it’s about opportunity. For Cole, it’s a clean slate. A new city. A bigger role. And maybe, a chance to prove he belongs to all the attention that he is getting.

Let’s see what the former $39 million man does with it.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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