5 Suns who won't last the entire season in Phoenix

Phoenix Suns, Jusuf Nurkic
Phoenix Suns, Jusuf Nurkic / Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports
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1. Jusuf Nurkic

The Suns acquired Nurkic in the Deandre Ayton trade. He has three years and $54.4 million remaining on his contract, which could be the key to landing multiple rotation pieces. Finding someone to take on his deal will not be easy, though.

Nurkic is averaging 12.1 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.4 blocks in 27.9 minutes per game. He struggles to score at the rim for a seven-footer and has health concerns. Nurkic has played in each of the first 20 games but has not appeared in more than 56 in a season since 2019. He has twice played more than 70 contests in his first nine years in the league.

The Suns need a center to patrol the paint, rebound, and set screens. Can they count on Nurkic to stay healthy? The 29-year-old has never advanced beyond the first round of the playoffs when healthy and in the rotation. This is his chance, but Phoenix must look to move on if Nurkic cannot be an impactful playoff contributor.

Will the Phoenix Suns shake things up before the Feb. 8 trade deadline? New owner Mat Ishbia is eager to make moves and win games. Do they have enough to contend for a championship right now? Expect the Suns to be aggressive in finding any missing pieces, so stay tuned.

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