Suns benched C Jusuf Nurkic, coach 'don't have a relationship'
Sun Jan 26 11:20am ET
Field Level Media
Jusuf Nurkic apparently has gone from starting center to persona non grata with the Phoenix Suns.
Nurkic hasn't played since a Jan. 7 loss to the Charlotte Hornets when he scored eight points and pulled down three rebounds in 19 minutes. That's nine games of first-year coach Mike Budenholzer going a different path at center, a span in which the Suns are 7-2.
With the trade deadline approaching Feb. 6, the 7-footer told The Arizona Republic he wouldn't be surprised if the Suns deal him. He also wouldn't be surprised if he stays because of challenges to a trade posed by the collective bargaining agreement.
"It was what it is," said Nurkic, whose availability was limited recently due to the flu. "Life is not fair."
Despite the illness, Nurkic told The Republic that Budenholzer didn't tell him he wouldn't play on Jan. 9 against the Atlanta Hawks amid a span of two months that the two didn't talk.
"We don't have a relationship," Nurkic said. "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."
Nurkic, 30, was acquired by the Suns on Sept. 27, 2023, in a three-way deal with the Portland Trail Blazers and Milwaukee Bucks, with Jrue Holiday, Deandre Ayton and Damian Lillard the headliners of the trade.
He is in the third season of a four-year, $70 million contract he signed in July 2022 with the Trail Blazers.
Budenholzer told The Republic he has spoken with Nurkic.
"There's been conversations that have been had. There's been communication, but we've got three or four guys that play the same position," he said. "We're going to go with who we think gives us our best chance. You've got to earn your minutes. And that's been communicated."
"It's never easy in this league," Budenholzer added. "He hasn't played. I'm sure he's frustrated. I respect that."
Veteran Mason Plumlee and Nick Richards have become the go-tos for the Suns at the center spot.
In his 11th NBA season, Nurkic was the 16th overall pick of the 2014 NBA Draft. He has played 564 games (481 starts) with the Denver Nuggets (2014-17), Blazers (2017-23) and Suns.
He has career averages of 12.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. This season, he's averaging 8.6 points and 9.2 rebounds in 25 games (23 starts).
Nurkic said he is ready for his next chance.
"I know who I am as a person and as a player. Like I said, one door close, another will open eventually," he said. "That's what I'm working for and hoping for."
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Clippers' G James Harden scored 40 points on 12-of-24 shooting in a 127-117 win over the Bucks on Saturday, Jan. 25.
Bucks' G Damian Lillard recorded a triple-double, finishing with 29 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds in a 117-127 loss to the Clippers on Saturday, Jan. 25.
Houston's G Amen Thompson recorded a triple-double, finishing with 23 points, 10 assists and 14 rebounds in a 135-131 win over Cleveland on Saturday, Jan. 25.
New York's F Josh Hart recorded a triple-double, finishing with 20 points, 11 assists and 18 rebounds in a 143-120 win over the Kings on Saturday, Jan. 25.
Kings' F Domantas Sabonis recorded a triple-double, finishing with 25 points, 12 assists and 13 rebounds in a 120-143 loss to New York on Saturday, Jan. 25.
Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (ankle) will play on Saturday against the Washington Wizards. Beal has missed three of the last four games, including a trip to Washington, but he has been upgraded from probable to available ahead of Saturday's contest. Although his most recent outing resulted in only five points, Beal has been decent in his new bench role in Phoenix. He has averaged 14.7 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 4.0 assists as a reserve. Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale will play smaller roles in the rotation with Beal back in the fold.
Los Angeles Lakers forward/center Anthony Davis (calf) will play against the Golden State Warriors on Saturday, marking his fourth consecutive appearance. Although Davis has missed two games this month, the team typically upgrades him from probable to available before tip-off. The nine-time All-Star aims to start a new double-double streak on Saturday after having a nine-game run end in Thursday's 117-96 victory over the Boston Celtics. Davis averages 23.8 points and 12.8 rebounds for the month.
Utah Jazz forward Brice Sensabaugh (ankle) will return from a one-game absence on Saturday against the Memphis Grizzlies. He sprained his right ankle earlier this week but has made a swift recovery. Sensabaugh has been an interesting addition to the Jazz rotation lately, as he has averaged 18.0 points in 24.4 minutes since the calendar was flipped. He appears to be in line for extra usage again in Saturday's game, with John Collins (illness) unavailable.
Memphis Grizzlies forward/center Santi Aldama (illness) will not suit up for Saturday's tilt against the Utah Jazz. An illness will keep the Spaniard sidelined for a second consecutive game. Memphis also remains without the services of Jake LaRavia (back), opening up additional opportunities on the frontcourt for the likes of Brandon Clarke and GG Jackson II. The two played well off the bench in Friday's 139-126 win over the New Orleans Pelicans and could also make noise against Utah's fragile defense.
Philadelphia 76ers center Andre Drummond (toe) will sit out a second consecutive game on Saturday against the Chicago Bulls. Drummond is battling a toe injury and has been in and out of the lineup recently. With Joel Embiid (knee) also on the shelf, Guerschon Yabusele will continue to do the heavy lifting at the center position, with Adem Bona logging time as his backup. Yabusele has averaged 10.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in a starting role this season.
Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant (illness) will jump back into the lineup for Saturday's clash against the Utah Jazz. An illness kept him sidelined for Friday's matchup versus the New Orleans Pelicans. Morant's shooting form has been shaky all month, but he has posted two double-doubles over his previous three appearances. He is in an excellent spot to deliver a big performance on Saturday, as Utah allows the second-most fantasy points per game to opposing point guard this season.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (foot) is ready to face Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night. Earlier in the day, the team downgraded James from probable to questionable, but Lakers head coach JJ Redick has told reporters that he is available for the matchup. James produced a 31-point double-double in his first meeting with the Warriors this season. He's on a run of three consecutive double-doubles leading up to Saturday's contest. The stretch includes James' ninth triple-double of the season.
Chicago Bulls guard/forward Ayo Dosunmu (calf) will play on Saturday against the Philadelphia 76ers. He was initially regarded as questionable for the game before Chicago upgraded Dosunmu to available. The Bulls will continue to be without Coby White (ankle), which means Dosunmu will have an opportunity to contribute more on the offensive end. The 25-year-old averages 12.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists for the season.
Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox (thumb) will play on Saturday versus the Knicks. The 27-year-old has missed three games this season. However, he'll avoid a fourth, at least for now. As expected, Fox has played well this season, averaging 25.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.6 steals. His three-point percentage is down. Still, Fox is usually reliable for fantasy managers, even with a challenging matchup on the horizon.
New York Knicks guard/forward Josh Hart (knee) will play in Saturday's matchup against the Sacramento Kings. Hart has been banged up lately, but he remains in the lineup, with the team upgrading him from questionable to available. In the last game against Brooklyn, Hart once again flirted with a triple-double. His scoring numbers have dipped in 2025, but Hart has made up for it in other areas. He is averaging 12.8 points, 12.3 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.8 steals for January.
Cleveland Cavaliers forward/center Evan Mobley (calf) will end a four-game absence on Saturday against the Houston Rockets. He has finally shaken off a calf strain that Mobley sustained a couple of weeks back. Mobley recently put together a four-game double-double streak and is averaging 19.4 points and 9.1 rebounds for the month. His form gets a big test on Saturday, as the Rockets have the second-highest rebounding rate in the league and boast the third-best defensive rating.
Atlanta Hawks forward Larry Nance Jr. (hand) will play on Saturday versus the Raptors. The veteran hasn't played in nearly a month after undergoing surgery on his right hand. Under normal circumstances, Nance doesn't usually see much action. However, with Jalen Johnson (shoulder), De'Andre Hunter (illness), and Zaccharie Risacher (hamstring) sidelined, Nance could be more involved than initially planned. Still, David Roddy, who will likely start, should see plenty of minutes at the four, giving him streaming appeal for fantasy managers.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard/forward Caris LeVert (wrist) will remain out on Saturday against the Houston Rockets, missing his fourth consecutive game. LeVert is dealing with a wrist sprain and was initially listed as questionable for the game. With LeVert sidelined and Dean Wade (knee) going down in Friday's matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers, Ty Jerome logged 33 minutes off the Cavaliers bench. He went off for a career-high 33 points on an incredible 8-for-8 three-point shooting. We can expect to see Jerome in a significant role again on Saturday.
Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams (foot) will miss the second leg of a back-to-back on Saturday against the New Orleans Pelicans. Williams is managing a tendon injury in his right foot, and the team doesn't want to overwork him. Veteran Taj Gibson will move to the starting lineup to fill in for Williams. Gibson was a double-double threat at the peak of his powers, but he has made minimal impact even in a starting role this season. In previous eight appearances as a starter, Gibson has averaged 3.1 points and 4.3 rebounds in 14.3 minutes.
Charlotte Hornets guard Seth Curry (ankle) will suit up for Saturday's matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans. The veteran sharpshooter was in street clothes on Friday when Charlotte began a back-to-back set against the Portland Trail Blazers. Curry provides outside shooting and serves as a backup for the guard positions, but he doesn't contribute much in fantasy basketball. Throughout the season, Curry has averaged 5.3 points in 13.4 minutes with 44.4 percent shooting from three-point range.
