As losses continue to stack and tension rises in the Phoenix Suns locker room, head coach Mike Budenholzer and his staff are officially ready for a change of pace, moving star guard Bradley Beal and center Jusuf Nurkic out of the starting lineup and inserting rookie Ryan Dunn and veteran big Mason Plumlee.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Senior NBA Insider Chris Haynes reported the lineup change late Sunday night ahead of Phoenix’s matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday. The Suns (15-18) are enduring a treacherous four-game losing streak capped off by a disappointing 126-108 loss to the Indiana Pacers.
Sources: Rookie Ryan Dunn and Mason Plumlee expected to replace Bradley Beal and Jusuf Nurkić in the Phoenix Suns starting lineup. pic.twitter.com/ody525bQsg
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) January 6, 2025
Frustrations boiled over in the locker room postgame and Suns fans reached the tipping point on the season.
Beal and Nurkic have been among the most disappointing revelations this season to a team that was once regarded as a Western Conference juggernaut after a dominant 8-1 start.
Nurkic in his second season in the Valley is averaging 8.8 points and 9.5 rebounds per game and is returning against the 76ers after a three-game suspension for an altercation with Dallas Mavericks forward Naji Marshall on Christmas Day. Fans have long been begging the franchise to find a replacement for the Bosnian big man at the center position.
Beal, a three-time All-Star responsible for the largest portion of Phoenix’s salary cap, is averaging 17.8 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 23 games this season. Whether he is in the lineup or not or playing alongside Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, Beal’s fit with the Suns is seemingly nearing its end.
The 13-year veteran guard has been in constant trade talks amidst the Jimmy Butler-Miami Heat saga despite Beal having one of the worst, least-movable contracts in the NBA. However, it is apparent that a move needs to be made to not only salvage the Suns locker room, but their season.
Phoenix’s new starting lineup featuring Dunn and Plumlee makes its debut Monday evening in Philadelphia.
Report: Tension rises in Suns locker room amid 4-game losing skid
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Reporter Connor Moreno covers the Phoenix Suns for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @cmorenosports, and on Bluesky, @cloading.bsky.social
