The Phoenix Suns are a team to watch before next week’s NBA trade deadline.
Obviously, they are angling to get Jimmy Butler from the Miami Heat, but they could commit to other moves too.
On Thursday morning, Duane Rankin reported, via NBACentral, that the Sun and Atlanta Hawks have discussed a trade centered around big man Jusuf Nurkic.
What would that look like, and would it be beneficial to both teams?
The Phoenix Suns and Atlanta Hawks have discussed a trade centered on Jusuf Nurkić, per @DuaneRankin pic.twitter.com/HXMoijdZe8
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) January 30, 2025
The Suns have had enough of Nurkic and there have been many rumors about him over the last several weeks.
Phoenix took him out of the starting five and then moved him out of the lineup entirely, a clear indication that their time with the big man has come to an end.
Nurkic hasn’t been performing very well for the Suns and was averaging 8.6 points and 9.2 rebounds per game before he was pulled out of rotation at the start of January.
If the Hawks took on Nurkic and his contract, the Suns would have to include other incentives too, probably in the form of draft picks.
And it’s not clear who Phoenix would get in return, although there is a chance it could be Bogdan Bogdanovic.
The Hawks aren’t the only team that the Suns have discussed a trade with, and Nurkic could end up just about anywhere.
But he is probably not going to be in Phoenix for much longer, even if this potential deal with Atlanta never comes together.
NEXT: Insider Says Bradley Beal Won’t Accept Trade To 1 NBA East Team
