Jusuf Nurkic situation made even worse by latest embarrassing loss

While the entire NBA world reacted in disbelief to Luka Doncic being sent to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis on Saturday, the Phoenix Suns were instead navigating an all too familiar path. Another dispiriting loss - this time to the feisty but still rebuilding Portland Trail Blazers - which marked their latest setback.

Even the addition of Jimmy Butler isn't going to save this crew - not when the Lakers are out there adding Doncic - although that doesn't look likely either. Which makes the question of why the Suns decided to turn one extremely valuable first round pick in 2031 into three that will all convey before then. It's certainly not to go and get Butler.

Which is where the forgotten Jusuf Nurkic enters the equation.

Head coach Mike Budenholzer used no less than 14 players in the 127-108 loss to the Trail Blazers, and center Nurkic wasn't one of them. We all knew his career in The Valley was over already - and this interview was the final nail in the coffin - but for Bol Bol to reappear again before Nurkic did was another slap in the face to the Bosnian.

The situation was made all the worse by the fact that Deandre Ayton - who the Suns gave up on to acquire Nurkic plus Grayson Allen - had somewhat of a revenge game. Devin Booker went off for 37 points, but it was Ayton who got the win, all while tallying 24 points and seven boards in 33 minutes of action.

Ayton is not without his flaws - and being engaged is among the biggest - but even when he's halfway invested in a game he's much the better prospect than Nurkic. He's less injury-prone while his body, size and ability to be a defensive anchor are exactly why the Suns chose him over the likes of Doncic with the first overall pick in 2018.

Had Ayton played like this when he was still in Phoenix, the Suns wouldn't have ditched him for an underwhelming return. Not that his time in Portland has been much better, but nights like this one were a window into what he can still be in this league. A difference-maker on both ends who is still 26-years-old.

The Suns on the other hand now look like they had to chop up their most valuable trade asset into three pieces to try and attach one to Nurkic to get him out of town, and that still hasn't worked. Grayson Allen has been a great addition for the team since joining in that same trade, but he can't influence a game the way Ayton can.

Yes it is likely this will be among his best performances this season - it was his revenge game that he had yet to get against the Suns - but at least he can see the court. Nurkic will never play for the Suns again and even when he did, a lot of the defensive issues that they had were as a result of his plodding play.

This is made even worse by the fact that Toumani Camara - a throw-in by the Suns in that same trade despite some nice Summer League run - started the game, played a team-high 36 minutes and poured in 18 points. He is the exact type of player they're badly missing, although Ryan Dunn has done his part to try and fill that gap. A trade that is only getting worse as time goes on.