The Phoenix Suns have entered a softer portion of their 2024-25 regular season schedule, and all of a sudden the outlook with this group doesn't look too bad. They're still sitting below .500 - and they made much tougher work of the Utah Jazz in a recent home win than they needed to - but they are hanging on in there.
Moving Bradley Beal to the bench appears to be working out - for now at least - as he gives the second unit more scoring punch when he checks into games. Even more importantly however, rookie Ryan Dunn taking Beal's spot has brought with it more defensive stability next to both Tyus Jones and Devin Booker.
Jusuf Nurkic's time in Phoenix looks to have come to an end.
That's not just because the Suns have started winning games since Nurkic has been out of the rotation entirely either. He's received a DNP in the last two contests, and the team have won both of them. Even worse for Nurkic, head coach Mike Budenholzer went so far as to say that this wasn't because of matchups or anything like it. This was simply his choice.
Mike Budenholzer on playing Mason Plumlee and Oso Ighodaro over Jusuf Nurkic: "They've been good for us, so we'll just continue to try and put together our best combinations"
— Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) January 12, 2025
On not speaking with Nurk on it: "He's a pro, so he's gotta be ready. Everybody's earning their minutes" pic.twitter.com/81ciRMnCvp
The Suns wanting to move on from Nurkic is no secret, it was finding a suitor for him that was the hard part. Rookie Oso Ighodaro is doing an excellent job with more run, while backup Mason Plumlee has started in place of the Bosnian. Ighodaro has played more minutes than Plumlee each game during this period, and that looks set to continue.
Nurkic appeared to break his silence on the matter Sunday - in his own kind of way - by unfollowing both Booker and Kevin Durant on social media. A childish move perhaps, but also a tactic we've seen in the league before. This can generally be read as Nurkic saying he too is done with the relationship, and is open to being moved elsewhere.
Jusuf Nurkic has unfollowed both Devin Booker and Kevin Durant.
— CantGuardBook (@CGBBURNER) January 12, 2025
This comes after getting back to back DNP-CD. 😳👀 pic.twitter.com/m8MJXjpQJE
Talk of sending him and some second round picks to the Charlotte Hornets for Nick Richards has certainly excited the fanbase, but it is unclear if this is the kind of deal that the front office in Charlotte have in mind. They may desire more than a couple of second rounders to take Nurkic off the Suns' hands, and all they have to offer is three second round picks, plus a coveted first in 2031.
If this is the end of Nurkic's time with the Suns, then we should also remember that he was a valuable player for the team last season. He helped the organization end their association with Deandre Ayton, while his 75 regular season games played was somehow the most of anybody on that 2023-24 roster. This despite Nurkic having the kind of injury history that we've seen much more of this season.
For those who think that this is reading too much into the actions of a player off the court, why else would he do this? Nurkic has always shown a love and appreciation for Phoenix and his teammates on his various accounts, and not following the team best players on the team is not in line with the activity we've seen with him to this point. This relationship looks to have soured beyond repair.