Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkić was benched earlier this month and hasn’t appeared in a game since Jan. 7. Furthermore, Nurkić revealed a somber truth about his relationship with head coach Mike Budenholzer.
“We don’t have a relationship,” Nurkic said after Phoenix’s victory over Washington on Saturday night.
“So, it’s fine. For me, just be a pro and do the best I can. Work and stay ready for whatever might be, but there is no chaos or bringing that to this team. They already have plenty of it. Trying to be as professional as I can and work my ass off for something else.”
Budenholzer also provided his perspective on the matter.
“It’s never easy in this league,” Budenholzer said of Nurkić. “He hasn’t played. I’m sure he’s frustrated. I respect that.”
Nurkić, who has averaged 23.7 minutes per contest in 25 games (23 starts) this season, is averaging 8.6 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. He and three-time All-Star Bradley Beal were removed from the starting five for rookie Ryan Dunn and center Mason Plumlee.
That said, Beal remained part of the rotation, whereas Nurkić appeared in two games off the bench and hasn’t played since. Further burying Nurkić on the depth chart, Phoenix acquired big man Nick Richards from the Charlotte Hornets earlier this month.
Last season, Nurkić averaged 10.9 points and 11.0 rebounds in 27.3 minutes per game across 76 regular-season contests. The veteran center is in his second season with the Suns. Prior to joining Phoenix in 2023, Nurkic spent six-plus seasons with Portland, with a two-plus-year stint with Denver predating his time with the Trail Blazers.
Nurkic, 30, is in the third season of a four-year, $70 million contract. The Suns have been in hot pursuit of Miami star Jimmy Butler, who seeks a trade; the NBA trade deadline is Feb. 6.
The Suns are 23-21, good for the eighth seed in the Western Conference. They’ve won seven of their last nine games, with Nurkic not once seeing the floor over that span.
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