According to sources, Jusuf Nurkic may be the subject of trade negotiations throughout the offseason following the Phoenix Suns’ first-round playoff loss. Owner Mat Ishbia addressed the media after the club’s defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves, announcing that the organization will seek to make some moves over the offseason.
Something has to change in Phoenix since they lack depth and need a legitimate point guard to improve their offense. They don’t have much leeway without draft selections, considering Bradley Beal’s no-trade clause and Devin Booker’s position as the team’s cornerstone.
As such, NBA insider Evan Sidery has indicated that Jusuf Nurkic could find himself on the trade block, given the team’s lack of available moves. In a post on social media, Sidery dubbed Nurkic one to watch as we head into the trade season.
He also indicated that the Suns can’t take on a salary larger than Nurkic’s $18.2 million. However, despite that, with the 22nd pick in the draft and a future first-round pick, they could create a package that lands them a center and maybe even frees up some cap space.
Jusuf Nurkic Has Outperformed His Career Average This Season for the Phoenix Suns
According to the NBA website, Jusuf Nurkic played 76 regular-season games this season. This is the second-highest number of games he has ever played in a single season. Nurkic demonstrated his resilience this year, even though he hadn’t played more than 60 games in a single season since his terrible injury in 2019–20.
Additionally, he demonstrated his effectiveness by averaging 51.0% from the field, surpassing his career average of 50.3. But it was on the glass where Nurkic truly excelled, averaging 11.0 rebounds per game. It is the second-highest of his career behind his 11.1 rebounds per game campaign in 2021–2022.
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Jusuf Nurkic demonstrated that he is still at the peak of his game as he approaches 30 years old. Moreover, despite some postseason troubles, with career-tying 4.0 assists per game and solid defensive figures. Given that, if the seasoned big man ends up on the trade block, there will undoubtedly be some interest in him.
Given that few high-level centers are free this summer, Jusuf Nurkic may be a valuable asset for the Suns. A few teams stick out while examining the league as the Conference Finals get closer.
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