At this point, the Lakers can only pray to the basketball gods because all this sounds like it’s been happening for a reason. Jusuf Nurkic, the 7 ‘0 ” big man from Bosnia and Herzegovina, has been a starter since 2016. He was touted as one of the important pieces of the Suns’ core, alongside Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. But now, Coach Mike Budenholzer has pushed him to the bench and hasn’t played a game since Jan 7. While both parties publicly admitted a crack in their relationship, Nurkic recently dropped a concerning update.
Not to forget, ever since the coach decided to go without Nurkic, the team has put up a solid show. In the last 10 games, the Phoenix Suns have managed to win 8 of them. Clearly, a massive shift following their embarrassing stint. Notably, this was Coach Budenholzer’s second major decision after pushing Bradley Beal to the second unit.
Beal’s move has worked well with the team, as the veteran guard influences the second unit’s offense. However, Jusuf Nurkic hasn’t got any playing time since he moved to the bench, as Mason Plumplee and Nick Richards take care of the big man duties. Two days ago, he stirred up the NBA world, saying, “We (Him and Mike Budenholzer) don’t have a relationship,” and accepted his fate saying, “It’s hard to understand why… at the end of the day, it’s the NBA.”
On the other hand, the coach didn’t go the distance to pacify his player, strongly hinting at a possible trade. Meanwhile, Nurkic, last almost confirmed it with his latest interview, saying, “It’s NBA life, you know. It’s unpredictable. You never know what’s gonna happen. And, you know, there’s a lot of, you know, teams to watch and how you behave and do,” ahead of the Clippers game.
WATCH: Spoke to Jusuf Nurkic before the game. He still hasn’t played since January 7th. @12SportsAZ
Asked:
Why he and Coach Bud don’t speak?
Where the relationship went wrong?
Would he like to talk to Coach Bud and iron this out?
Can he still help this team win? pic.twitter.com/FwmkUdNG45
— Cameron Cox (@CamCox12) January 28, 2025
Moreover, when an interview asked, if he would sit down with Coach Mike to talk things through, he simply said, No. So, with only a handful of days, remaining for the trade deadline, will Jusuf Nurkic find a new home.
Will the rest of the league make use of the Jusuf Nurkic situation?
The Lakers certainly can’t take credit for easing AD’s weight off his shoulder if they rope in Nurkic. The Lakers have been looking to add a traditional center to their roster from a very long time. It will only boost their offense as Anthony Davis can easily work on his offensive bag. Even Davis recently opened up to Shams Charania, saying, “I think we need another big… I feel like I’ve always been at my best when I’ve been a four and having a big out there.”
Anyway, the Lakers can rush to get this deal kicked off and potentially sending in some role players to the Suns in return. Meanwhile, on the other hand, this situation could also be helpful for the Knicks.
The NY side has been short of a big man since the start of the season. Mitchell Robinson, who was supposed to take the center position and let Karl-Anthony Towns take care of the No.4 position, hasn’t made his season debut yet, dealing with an injury. So, the Knicks could rule that option out and bank of Nurkic. What do you think? Let us know in the comments.
The post Jusuf Nurkic Confirms Mike Budenholzer Relationship Reaching Irreconcilable Point as Suns Star Hints at Potential Trade appeared first on EssentiallySports.