Jusuf Nurkic Could Become No. 4 Center In Suns Rotation If Not Traded

The Phoenix Suns have turned away from Jusuf Nurkic almost overnight after relying on the center to be their starter for the entirety of last season and the first half of this season. Last week the Suns decided to move Nurkic to the bench alongside Bradley Beal before getting DNP'd by Mike Budenholzer after one game. He's been away from the franchise with an illness since, with many assuming it was to facilitate a trade.

The Suns acquired Nick Richards earlier this week to address their hole at center. John Gambodaro has reported that no team is willing to acquire Nurkic in a potential trade. This has now moved Nurkic to No. 4 in the team's center pecking order behind Richards, Mason Plumlee, and rookie Oso Ighodaro. 

"The Suns have been unable to find a single team willing to take on Jusuf Nurkic’s contract in a trade. Nurkic likely becomes the fourth-string center the rest of the season behind Nick Richards, Oso Ighodaro, and Mason Plumlee."

The Suns will be overloaded at the center position and have far greater quantity over quality than most other teams. Their new starter, Richards, has been a career-long backup on the less-than-impressive Hornets. While he provides the basics of what Phoenix needs from a center, it isn't a needle-moving move.

Nurkic's $18.1 million is a luxury the Suns can't afford to bury on the bench. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported that the Suns were trying to land both Richards and Cody Martin by including Nurkic in the deal, something the Hornets rebuffed. 

"Phoenix was looking to include center Jusuf Nurkic in the trade talks for Richards and coveted Hornets swingman Cody Martin, league sources told HoopsHype. However, Charlotte was not inclined to absorb Nurkic’s $19.38 million guaranteed salary for the 2025-26 season."

Nurkic is averaging 8.6 points and 9.2 rebounds this season. He's been ostracized by the Suns and has another year left on his contract at $19.3 million next season. 

A contending team won't want him because he won't be a difference-maker while tanking teams won't want him because the Suns can't offer them the draft compensation to take this deal on. If it was an expiring contract, it would be easier, but it isn't.

Suns Looking To Trade Jusuf Nurkic And Bradley Beal

Nurkic has been listed out with an illness as the Suns try to find a trade for him, with the Hornets clearly refusing to accept his contract. 

The Suns can't waste their sole-remaining first-round pick on a Nurkic cap dump, especially because they're also trying to move off Bradley Beal, who has an arguably worse contract with a supermax that has a no-trade clause.

The Suns are focusing on acquiring Jimmy Butler right now and re-routing Beal to a third team to make the deal feasible, so trading Nurkic might be a secondary concern at the moment. They have a few second-round picks they could attach to it, but their best-case scenario at landing an upgrade with their assets and Nurkic will be bottom-feeders from tankers like the Brooklyn Nets and Toronto Raptors.

The Suns are 20-20 this season, so they need to make a move to have any winning hopes. They don't have draft assets for the next six years, so tanking isn't an option at their disposal. Winning is, but they have to make some aggressive moves to try and make that a reality.