The Phoenix Suns are in a really nice spot right now. They've gotten their two Olympic gold medalists Devin Booker and Kevin Durant back from Team USA, and they look set to bring a whole lot of positives to the group when training camp begins.
The release of the 2024-25 NBA schedule may have thrown a few quirks the Suns' way when it was released earlier this week, but it was just another cause for excitement. The 82 game gauntlet has been set, now all this team has to do is get out the other side in the best position possible ahead of a postseason run.
But not every member of the roster is going to make it through the whole season.
The prospect of the Suns making a trade is quite high - as although they were light on depth last season - they did a really nice job of filling in the gaps this summer. Not so good a job that they're being praised for it, but they managed to remake their point guard rotation and sign a backup center in Mason Plumlee. Look out for these players to get put on the trade block down the road.
5. Jusuf Nurkic
If there is one player the Suns would trade if they could, it would surely be center Jusuf Nurkic. There's no doubt the organization won the Nurkic and Grayson Allen for Deandre Ayton trade, and he played his part in a successful regular season in 2023-24.
But the playoffs exposed the glass ceiling that this group has as long as Nurkic has a large role with this team. He's going to start next season - there really is no better alternative no matter what you think of Plumlee - and he's going to succeed in parts of his role. He's unselfish and never gets any credit for the work that he does, and will have to once again battle in the paint each night.
If Nurkic manages to stay healthy again and put up over 10 points and boards per game - as he did last season - then a suitor may emerge. There might even be one out there already. Part of the appeal is that he has $37 million left on his current deal, and is entering the second last season of said deal. He'll be looked at as an expiring contract soon enough, and could be on the move before then.