What a Shocking News: Following Suns Chaos and Wizards becoming Jusuf Nurkic’s trade favorites, he has made the decision to……….
Over the past few weeks, the Phoenix Suns have been frantically trying to figure out how to shake their team out of its slump. As a solution, they have decided to sit Jusuf Nurkic, giving Mason Plumlee and youngster Oso Ighodaro rotation spots at center. Nurkic’s play in the Suns outfit has gotten so awful that, during their victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday night, he was a DNP (Coach’s Decision).
This rotational choice by the Suns suggests that the team may be prepared to trade Nurkic. In light of this, it appears that a surprise team is considering a move for the Bosnian big man. With chances of +300, the Washington Wizards are the team most likely to trade for Nurkic out of all of them, according to the official sportsbook Bovada.
The Miami Heat (+400), Houston Rockets (+400), Detroit Pistons (+400), and Brooklyn Nets (+700) complete the top five teams interested in acquiring Nurkic. Nurkic might be useful to the Heat, Rockets, and Pistons as more frontcourt depth, but the Nets, like the Wizards, might be a payroll dump.
The fact that Nurkic will earn $19.4 million in addition to his $18.1 million salary cost for this season makes any trade involving him for the Suns more difficult. The fact that he is no longer in the rotation is truly hurting the Suns. In any case, other teams may have a buy-low chance in this area, assuming they don’t depend too much on Nurkic.
The Suns’ demise of Jusuf Nurkic
The Suns needed depth badly going into the 2023–24 season; after all, their shoddy roster was shown in a second-round playoff loss to the Denver Nuggets. They then concluded that it would be best to convert one of their most valuable assets, Deandre Ayton, into depth pieces in Grayson Allen and Jusuf Nurkic.
However, Nurkic has changed as a player. He can occasionally fill the stat sheet rather effectively, but his mobility has been deteriorating, and he occasionally makes a lot of stupid decisions on the court. The Suns have obviously lost interest in the 30-year-old center, as evidenced by their preference to start Mason Plumlee.
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Richard Jefferson: “They’re Not Getting Along” with Devin Booker and Kevin Durant.
Devin Booker and Kevin Durant don’t get along, according to Richard Jefferson.
The Phoenix Suns have been one of the most disappointing teams in the NBA this season, and it appears that not everything is well behind the scenes. On the most recent episode of the Road Trippin’ podcast, presenter Richard Jefferson stated that Kevin Durant and Devin Booker no longer get along.
“The last thing I’ll say about KD,” Jefferson stated. “As good as he is. He remains one of the top players in the NBA. I believe he can still lead a team to the championship. At what point has KD’s collaboration with his teammates gone as planned?
“Because he once liked Devin Booker. There was mutual respect. “Now they’re not getting along,” Jefferson continued. “You shouldn’t mess with Bradley Beal. Bradley Beal is out. Now, they may bring in Jimmy Butler because that is what K.D. wants.
There hasn’t been much talk about Durant and Booker’s friendship deteriorating, so this is extremely interesting. Jefferson didn’t go into detail on the topic, so it’s unclear whether he heard it or if it’s simply speculation based on what he’s seen on the court.
Durant and Booker’s tenure together got off to a terrific start when the Suns acquired the former from the Brooklyn Nets in 2023. They won their first eight games together and appeared to be an unstoppable duo. That, however, was arguably the pinnacle of their collaboration.
The Suns’ 2022-23 season would end in disappointment, as the Denver Nuggets defeated them in six games in the Western Conference Semifinals. Despite acquiring Bradley Beal in the 2023 offseason, they would not go beyond the first round of the 2024 playoffs, as they were swept by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In 2024-25, the Suns’ situation has deteriorated significantly. They currently have a 17-19 record and are ranked 12th in the West. Could these challenges have had an impact on Durant and Booker’s relationship? Maybe.
Regardless of what Durant and Booker’s relationship is like as of now, there hasn’t been any talk of either of the two heading out of town. Although it may be in the Suns’ best interests to rebuild, they are unlikely to do so.
Devin Booker On Why It Can Get Frustrating To Play With Kevin Durant And Bradley Beal
Booker was thrilled when the Suns signed Durant and Beal, but recently said it can be difficult to play with them. After a 123-115 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday, Booker, who is averaging 24.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game in 2024-25, admitted he gets agitated when all three of them are on the court.
“He understands his position in that lineup, and he knows it’s his responsibility to be aggressive. When we’re all out there, it may get frustrating. I go through it on occasion as well. You take two shots in a row and say, “I’m out there with K and Brad.” I need to get them involved. Not having that on your mind and simply being able to play freely may mean a lot to anyone…”
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