Bucks Waive Nigel Hayes-Davis

The Bucks have requested waivers on forward Nigel Hayes-Davis shortly after acquiring him from Phoenix in a three-team trade, the team announced in a press release.

Hayes-Davis made his NBA debut way back in 2018, but was out of the league for seven years before signing with the Suns during the 2025 offseason. The 6’7″ forward established himself as a standout in the EuroLeague, helping Fenerbahce win a title and earning Final Four MVP honors last spring.

While Hayes-Davis parlayed his success overseas into a new NBA contract, his time in Phoenix didn’t play out as he hoped. The 31-year-old averaged just 7.2 minutes per game in 27 appearances off the bench. He played primarily in garbage time and recording 1.3 points and 1.2 rebounds per contest.

A return to Europe is a possibility for Hayes-Davis if he doesn’t catch on with a new NBA team right away. For what it’s worth, he remains eligible to sign a two-way contract but can’t rejoin the Suns.

As for the Bucks, they added salary to their books and didn’t acquire any additional assets when they swapped Cole Anthony and Amir Coffey for Ousmane Dieng and Hayes-Davis ahead of Thursday’s deadline. Given that Hayes-Davis is already off the roster, it seems safe to assume that they like Dieng.