It has been a turbulent past few weeks for Jusuf Nurkić who has seen his playing time plummet, and another new experience this season happened to him against the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!From starting a majority of the season to getting into a heated altercation against the Dallas Mavericks on Dec. 28, receiving a three-game suspension and coming off the bench in his return, Nurkić did not play a second of action vs. the Hawks, leaving fans scratching their heads why.
When asked about what went into the decision to not use Nurkić, Suns coach Mike Budenholzer revealed his reasoning for the move.
“Just went with Mason [Plumlee] and Oso [Ighodaro] tonight. Always trying to figure out what’s best for the team, finding the right combinations, finding the right group,” Budenholzer said postgame after Phoenix won 123-115.
"Always trying to figure out what is best for the team."
Phoenix Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer on what went into the decision not to play Jusuf Nurkić against the Atlanta Hawks.#SunsUp #NBA #TrueToAtlanta pic.twitter.com/W7YVy9ESLX
— Burn City Suns ☀️ (@BurnCitySuns) January 10, 2025
Nurkić has struggled throughout the season to find consistency, having impressive performances that are followed by others that were lackluster. In 25 games (23 starts), the Bosnian center is averaging 8.6 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game.
He has eight double-doubles this season with him being in the right place at the right time in the paint, but there have been other instances where the effort level to defend has been nonexistent. Fans have let out their frustration over his inconsistent play and trade rumors involving him have been popping up more and more.
While this may just be a one-off and Nurkić will return for the game against the Utah Jazz, it may also be a sign that his days in Phoenix are numbered. Plumlee has been steady for the most part in his first season as a Sun while Ighodaro has been one of the Suns better players in his rookie year.
With the NBA Trade Deadline in less than a month on Feb. 6, Nurkić may be on the move soon and the continued regression of usage is pointing in that direction.
WATCH: Mike Budenholzer discusses Suns bouncing back with victory over Hawks
*Get the BEST Phoenix sports insider information, and exclusive content. SIGN UP HERE to unlock our premium content!*
Reporter Alec Cipollini covers the Phoenix Suns, Arizona Diamondbacks, ASU Athletics and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @AlecCipollini
