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sports Monday 27 January 2025
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Suns playing better basketball with former starter Jusuf Nurkic

buried deep on the bench

By DAVID BRANDT with Budenholzer for a stretch ing to go with who we think
AP Sports Writer that lasted two months and gives us our best chance.
PHOENIX (AP) — Things are that the two “don't have You've got to earn your
looking up for the Phoenix a relationship.” “He hasn't minutes. That's been com-
Suns on the basketball court played,” Budenholzer said municated.”
these days. The same can't when asked about Nurkic's The Suns could deal Nur-
be said for Jusuf Nurkic. comments. “I'm sure he's kic before the Feb. 6 trade
The struggling Nurkic has frustrated, so I respect that.” deadline, but it's not a cer-
gone from the starting cen- The 30-year-old Nurkic has tainty given the team's sal-
ter to a benchwarmer in the been a starting center for ary cap situation and the
space of about a month. most of the past decade, center's poor performance
Coach Mike Budenholzer but his numbers have fallen this season. He's in the third
doesn't seem like he's go- since joining the Suns before season of a $70 million, four-
ing to reverse that decision last season. This season, he's Phoenix Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer argues with offi- year deal.q
any time soon — especially averaging just 8.2 points and cials during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the
Washington Wizards, Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025, in Phoenix.
with the Suns winning eight of 9.6 rebounds while shooting Associated Press.
their last 11 games and the 45.4% from the field.
emergence of newcomer He's had other problems, Nurkic was available Satur- He's averaged 13.2 points
Nick Richards. too. He was suspended three day against the Wizards, but and 12.2 rebounds and had
Nurkic made waves Saturday games after a fight with Dal- didn't play. 20 points and 19 rebounds
night when the center told las' Naji Marshall and P.J. Richards — who was added against the Wizards on Sat-
The Arizona Republic before Washington. He also missed in a trade with Charlotte with urday.
a 119-109 victory over the the team's most recent five- Jan. 15 — has taken the bulk “We've got three of four guys
Washington Wizards that he game trip after dealing with of the minutes in the post who play the same position,”
didn't have a conversation the flu. over the past four games. Budenholzer said. “We're go-