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Jusuf Nurkić will shoot more 3s for Suns in upcoming season

Phoenix Suns starting center Jusuf Nurkić and coach Mike Budenholzer confirmed that the big man will be expected to take more 3-pointers during the 2024-25 season at the team’s media day Monday.

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“He’s been given instruction to work on and shoot and practice 3s, and we’re going to want to see that in games,” Budenholzer told reporters.

After Budenholzer was hired back in May, many wondered what his role would be for Nurkić after having talented stretch big men in Brook Lopez and Al Horford during his previous coaching stop with the Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta Hawks.

Nurkić, who only shot 24.4% from deep on 1.2 attempts per game in his first season with Phoenix last year, seemingly confirmed the speculation when he posted videos of himself shooting 3-pointers on social media this offseason.

Budenholzer said he doesn’t use social media much, but did hear about the videos from his children and the Suns’ coaches.

“There definitely has been I think intentional work by Nurk and conversations with him about what we think he can do and add and grow,” Budenholzer said. “Most obviously is a 3-point shooter. He’s done it a little bit in his past, and we’re going to push that envelope.

“Obviously, we feel like there’s ways where he can impact the game in a really positive way, offensively. But not just 3-point shooting, there’s lots of things that (he can do). Nurk’s an incredible passer, his skill, his IQ, his vision as you watch film and study him, it’s pretty unique.”

Another post from Nurkić’s social media that surprised Suns fans was a picture of Budenholzer working with him overseas in the offseason.

“I’m excited,” Nurkić, a native of Bosnia and Herzegovina, said. “I feel like since Day 1 that coach Bud came, I’ve been having great conversation with him man-to-man, and then he came over to visit my home. It was really helpful to see the way we want to play.”

Budenholzer expects the team as a whole to take a big leap in 3-pointers attempted after Phoenix ranked 25th last season in attempts (32.6), but fifth in 3-point percentage (38.2%).

“It doesn’t mean I’m going to shoot 10 3s a game,” Nurkić said. “I wish, but not going to happen. Especially as a team, we want to get better there, attempting and making more 3s. For me, that’s gonna be just be a plus.”

The majority of Nurkić’s 3-point attempts last season were in the first part of the year, as he pretty muched stopped taking them midway through the season.

“I’m not trying to go too deep on that because it was not my decision,” Nurkić said. “I can tell you that it was more about coach (Frank Vogel), what he wanted to do. Since I came here, I was only about team stuff, what we have to do, and one conversation was like, we need to take more 3s, but I felt like our three best players (Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal) were taking middies, like 2s.

“I think that was an adjustment, I guess the coach wanted me, probably Grayson (Allen) and the three of them to take more 3s, and it is what it is. But, it was just like Coach more wanted to do that than me.”

The Suns acquired the 30-year-old Nurkić from the Portland Trail Blazers on Sept. 27 last year, in a deal where they sent out Deandre Ayton and Toumani Camara and also received Nassir Little and Grayson Allen.

In the 2022-23 season with the Blazers, Nurkić shot 36.1% from 3 with the on 2.3 attempts per game, which he called a “good experience.”

“I felt amazing important taking 3s, especially with the spacing we had,” Nurkić said on this season in Portland. “I was feeling really comfortable. It’s more about having the coach and somebody behind you, the teammate trusting you to pass. So it’s more about, I guess, the mindset of the team than just players who believe or not believe or whatever.”

At media day, Nurkić was also notably slimmed down from last season. He wouldn’t say his exact weight, but noted he was “smaller” than his lasted weight of 290.

“Coming in lighter, moving better,” Nurkić said. “My No. 1 one goal was just getting healthier, and I was dealing with so much through the last season. But overall, I’m really in a great spot, probably the best I’ve been in a long time and (with) family situation, everything. Looking forward (to) a great year. Personally, for me, the best one.”

WATCH: Slimmed-down Jusuf Nurkić anticipates career year in 2nd season with Suns

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Brendan Mau is a senior writer covering the Phoenix Suns and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @Brendan_Mau

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