3 Phoenix Suns whose stock is fading fast

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - NOVEMBER 04: Devin Booker #1 and Bradley Beal #3 of the Phoenix Suns (both center) look on during the second quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on November 04, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - NOVEMBER 04: Devin Booker #1 and Bradley Beal #3 of the Phoenix Suns (both center) look on during the second quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on November 04, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images) /
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PHOENIX, ARIZONA – OCTOBER 31: Jusuf Nurkic of the Phoenix Suns tries to bait Zach Collins of the San Antonio Spurs with a pump fake. (Photo by Mike Christy/Getty Images)
PHOENIX, ARIZONA – OCTOBER 31: Jusuf Nurkic of the Phoenix Suns tries to bait Zach Collins of the San Antonio Spurs with a pump fake. (Photo by Mike Christy/Getty Images) /

2. Jusuf Nurkic

Having fun yet Suns fans? The idea of center Jusuf Nurkic was – in theory – a solid one. Unlike Deandre Ayton, who the team gave up to get Nurkic, Grayson Allen (who has fit right in), Nassir Little (had a couple of moments) and Keon Johnson (already waived), Nurkic was going to be the big who fit well with their “Big 3”.

He was going to diligently run up and down the court, not see much of the ball, screen effectively, pass out of the paint and generally do everything around the stars in place. Nurkic can still do all of those things in bursts, and offensively he is capable of having the team run some plays through him in the absence of Booker and Beal.

Defensively though, it has been ugly at times for Nurkic. Although it has only been seven games, the Suns rank an impressive 10th in defensive rating (109.6). Most felt that offensively this team had a chance to be an all-time level threat, and once healthy that may end up being the case.

On the other end they were always likely to struggle, and yet their role players have stepped up admirably. With Nurkic on the court though, the Suns have a defensive rating of 112.6, which would put them in the bottom 10 teams in the league.

Nurkic has had worse seasons on that end statistically, but it still early doors and he does not look to be getting any better. Add in the fact he is injury-prone (to his credit Nurkic is yet to miss a game so far), and there’s a reason he was so readily available via trade from the Portland Trail Blazers. If the Suns made Nurkic available via trade today, who would call?