Cole Anthony and the Grizzlies have agreed to a buyout, and the former Magic guard is expected to sign with the Bucks upon his release. The Bucks need backcourt depth after waiving superstar Damian Lillard, who is still recovering from a torn Achilles and is expected to miss the entire 2025-26 season. Anthony was buried in a guard logjam in Orlando, which limited his potential in fantasy basketball. He will get a shot at considerably more minutes with the Bucks this coming season.
Cole Anthony Gets Fresh Start With Bucks
Anthony was the 15th overall pick in the 2020 draft and has played his entire career with the Magic. He saw just 18.4 minutes a night across 67 games for the Magic in 2024-25. He posted career-low averages of 9.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.1 3-pointers on 42.4% FG. The emergence of Anthony Black as the lead guard off the bench for Orlando stole much of Anthony’s thunder. Black became the preferred starter when Jalen Suggs missed time due to injury.
Anthony came to the Grizzlies when the Magic traded for Desmond Bane. The Grizzlies received Anthony, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, the 16th pick in the 2025 draft, three first-round picks (2026, 2028, 2030), and a 2020 top-2 protected pick swap.
The Grizzlies recently signed Jaren Jackson Jr. to a max extension. They also spent capital to trade up in the 2025 draft to secure Cedric Coward. The team has a clear vision of its priorities and direction, so it makes sense for them to amicably part ways with Anthony, who now gets a fresh start with the Bucks.
Fantasy Impact of Bucks’ Projected Guard Rotation
Before Anthony’s arrival, the Bucks had Kevin Porter Jr., Ryan Rollins, and Gary Trent Jr. as the guards expected to earn most of the minutes at both guard spots. Anthony is a capable scorer and can handle the Bucks’ lead point guard duties. He should compete with KPJ for that role once training camp begins.
Anthony being buried in the Magic depth chart did not do his fantasy basketball value any favors. He finished 2024-25 ranked 240th in 9-cat per-game value. His best finish came in 2021-22, where he placed inside the top 100. Porter, who joined the Bucks mid-season via a trade with the Clippers, saw an uptick in production. In 30 games with the Bucks, Porter averaged 11.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. Porter ended 2024-25 ranked 228th in 9-cat scoring formats. While Porter is arguably the better defender, Anthony has the higher ceiling when it comes to offense.
Being the second option at point guard in Milwaukee is a much better situation than being a third-stringer in Orlando. At this point, it’s safe to target Anthony in 16-team leagues or deeper. However, it would be a good idea to pay close attention to his minutes and battle with KPJ during the preseason. Porter can be a flyer pick in standard 12-team leagues. If Anthony can come close to his top-170 end-of-season value in 2023-24, then he will find his way back into fantasy relevance.
The biggest loser here is Ryan Rollins. He will take the biggest hit in value, both in redraft and dynasty leagues. He was recently signed to a 3-year deal worth $12 million.
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