2 Suns whose careers are done in Phoenix after Nick Richards trade

With the NBA's trade deadline looming on the horizon, the Phoenix Suns finally made a trade on Wednesday adding center Nick Richards from the Charlotte Hornets. Although fake trades always fly around The Valley when talking about ways to improve the roster, Richards' name was actually one that had come up a lot.

There were two reasons for this, with the Suns' need for another center their most pressing concern. The organization are also operating in the second apron, so it was no surprise to see Josh Okogie go in the opposite direction to make the salaries work. Giving up all three of their remaining second round picks was tough to swallow, but they will get one back down the road from the Hornets.

It is now officially the end of the road in Phoenix for two players.

The addition of Richards couldn't have come at a better time, and there is no doubt it makes the center rotation better. Alongside Mason Plumlee - who will likely still start at least for the time being - and Oso Ighodaro, the dip in quality with Richards now taking up the other minutes is not going to be there like it was in the past. Which leaves no space for two other players on the roster.

2. Jusuf Nurkic

Perhaps the most surprising aspect of this trade was that it wasn't Jusuf Nurkic who ended up in Charlotte for Richards. But that's just where his value is in this league right now, it doesn't exist anymore. The Suns likely would have had to attach their remaining first rounder to get away from Nurkic - and with Jimmy Butler still out there - that wouldn't have been a wise move.

Nurkic has now received DNPs in the last four games, with his last appearance in a Suns' jersey ironically against the Hornets of all teams. That doesn't look like it is going to change anytime soon, which means Nurkic is going to have to just sit on the bench from now until the end of the season.

Perhaps another franchise will get desperate, although as of now this goes down as one of the worst trades the Suns have ever made. They had to move on from Deandre Ayton no doubt, but Grayson Allen was the best player they got in return for a former first overall pick. Not that his tenure with the Portland Trail Blazers has been close to memorable at this point.

1. Bol Bol

Poor Bol Bol was barely hanging in there as it was, but the addition of Richards means the experiment of playing his sporadically is now done. The Suns have slipped below .500 once again and need reliable bigs to help them climb out of this hole, particularly on the defensive end. Bol is not that kind of player.

If there's any silver lining here it is that the organization might yet get something for Bol, even if it is just a single second round pick. He's on a minimum contract and is an unrestricted free agent this summer, so he would be a rental for whoever did decide to take a chance on him. For teams going nowhere though, he's exciting to watch while you're losing games.

The Orlando Magic know this from his time there when they were rebuilding, and it will be sad to see him no longer get any run in The Valley. He was loved by fans and teammates alike. But with head coach Mike Budenholzer failing to find a use for him, there's no point in him sticking around. The center rotation for down the stretch is officially set, and Bol is out.