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The Phoenix Suns only have seven players currently under contract and limited avenues to improve their team through trades. In terms of meaty contracts that can be attached to draft picks in order to net the Suns more meaningful assets, Jusuf Nurkic is at the top of the list.
There are two main reasons for that. First, the Suns could use an upgrade at center, after their worst fears about whether he’d be playable in a playoff series were realized. Even worse, it happened in a sweep against a Minnesota Timberwolves team that, theoretically, should’ve provided Nurk a better chance of staying on the floor.
Second, Nurkic may be the most likely trade candidate by process of elimination, thanks to how few contracts the Suns have on the books, as well as the second tax apron restrictions that limit their trade flexibility. As a second tax apron team, the Suns are not allowed to aggregate outgoing salaries in a trade, and they’re also not allowed to take back more salary than they send out in a trade.
Looking at the roster, the Big 3 aren’t going anywhere. Devin Booker is the 27-year-old face of the franchise, Kevin Durant isn’t getting traded unless he completely changes course and demands out, and Bradley Beal has a no-trade clause. After signing an in-season contract extension, Grayson Allen isn’t trade-eligible until mid-October.
Nurkic, Nassir Little ($6.8 million salary) and David Roddy ($2.8 million) are the only other players currently under contract. But two of those guys don’t really make enough money to net Phoenix any needle-moving pieces, as we covered last week with our 25 Nassir Little and David Roddy trades.
So that leaves Nurkic and his $18.2 million salary for next season as the most likely candidate to be attached to one of Phoenix’s two movable draft picks — this year’s No. 22 pick and their 2031 first-rounder — in trade discussions starting on draft night. The Athletic’s Shams Charania mentioned Nassir Little, but it’s no surprise to hear Phoenix will be “aggressive” in trying to use those picks to land upgrades. Mat Ishbia and James Jones basically told us as much already.
To that end, it’s time to explore some potential Jusuf Nurkic trades, bearing in mind that any trade that doesn’t net the Suns a starting-caliber center will force them to resort to another trade or veteran minimums in free agency to land one. We should also keep these disclaimers in mind, which will apply to every trade article here over the next few weeks:
- These trades are not about what I think the Suns should or shouldn’t do, but rather, an exercise to show what’s possible under the current CBA. We’re simply attempting to paint a picture of what is and isn’t realistic.
- Remember, the Suns cannot combine salaries in any trade, nor can they take back additional money in any trade. In a Nurkic trade, Phoenix is not allowed to take back a single dollar more than his salary ($18,125,000).
- To that end, I went through all 29 other teams’ books to figure out which contracts (or combination of contracts) legally work in a Jusuf Nurkic trade before narrowing it down to deals that might actually make sense.
- Unless otherwise indicated, the trade targets included here are not based on sourced information, but rather, my opinion on players that could address specific needs for Phoenix.
- We’re going to have one of these articles for all seven Suns players under contract (Nassir Little, David Roddy, Jusuf Nurkic, Grayson Allen and the Big 3), so sit tight.
- Because the Suns’ two draft picks are not trade-eligible until draft night, Fanspo’s trade machine wouldn’t allow us to include them in the trade machine screenshots below, but pretty much every trade below would feature one of the Suns’ two first round picks they can trade on draft night.
If you still have questions about the second tax apron, ESPN’s Bobby Marks joined the PHNX Suns Podcast last week to answer plenty of questions about it. If not, let’s dive in!
Jusuf Nurkic trades with fellow apron teams that would have to be 3-team deals
To be clear, Nurkic wasn’t bad this season. He embraced his role despite not getting a ton of shots offensively — something the guy he was traded for would have struggled with alongside this Big 3. Nurk set sturdy screens for his three stars, ranking in the 97th percentile in screen assists per 75 possessions, per The BBall Index.
His passing abilities as an offensive connector ranked him in the 95th percentile in passing creation quality and 79th percentile in assist points per 75 possessions. He was dominant on the boards, ranking in the 88th percentile in offensive rebounds and 98th percentile in defensive rebounds per 75 possessions.
Nurk was also better than expected defensively, doing everything coach Frank Vogel asked despite his inherent deficiencies. The “Bosnian Beast” held opponents to 8.6 percent worse shooting at the rim than they’d normally shoot, which, for those keeping track, was far better than the -1.4 percent mark Deandre Ayton posted this year.
Despite Nurk’s flaws, a plethora of injuries and a lack of lockdown wing defenders outside of Durant, the Suns ranked 13th in defensive rating. They were also a team-high +404 in Nurkic’s 2,078 minutes on the court (next-closest was Devin Booker’s +316), and a team-worst -153 when he sat (next-closest was Booker at -65). Phoenix’s Net Rating swung from +9.2 with Nurkic on the court to -3.8 whenever he rested. That’s not nothing!
However, there are clear shortcomings to Jusuf Nurkic’s game that limit Phoenix in a playoff setting, as we saw against Minnesota. His subpar finishing around the basket is a glaring issue, as Nurk ranked in the 54th percentile in field goal percentage at the rim…despite ranking in the 77th percentile in rim shot quality.
On the defensive front, as much as he was an engaged rim protector, there were too many possessions where he was targeted in pick-and-rolls, with ball-handlers attacking him in space or in the drop. Those rim protection numbers look great, but they don’t take blow-bys into account.
In the playoffs, Phoenix posted a -14.9 Net Rating with Nurkic on the floor, and a -13.7 Net Rating when he rested. That spoke to two problems: Nurkic was unplayable in a playoff setting, and the Suns had zero options behind him at the 5, as was the case all season.
That could hinder the Suns in trade discussions around Nurkic. He was probably better than he’s given credit for, and the remaining two years and $37.5 million on his contract aren’t terrible. But after being the weakest link in Phoenix’s playoff core, very few teams would trade for him as a center upgrade. More than likely, a pick will have to be attached to entice a team into taking him on while giving up helpful rotation players in return.
Further complicating things is the number of teams projected to be in the first or second tax apron:
One tax apron team trading with another tax apron team would require a third party in order to make sure neither apron team is taking back more money than they’re sending out. In that scenario, the Suns would send Jusuf Nurkic to Team C and a draft pick to Team B, while Team C would send something that Team B wants to Team B, and Team B would send the players Phoenix wants to the Suns.
Here are a few examples, which are tough to navigate in terms of finding the perfect third party to facilitate:
1. Bogdan Bogdanovic
Remember when the Suns traded for his draft rights back in 2014? Good times.
The Atlanta Hawks could easily push toward the tax aprons depending on what they decide to do with re-signing Saddiq Bey, not to mention Trae Young’s future being up in the air. Bogdanovic put up a career-high 16.9 points per game last year on 37.4 percent shooting from 3, and he’s capable of lighting up defenses off the bench.
However, even with a potentially valuable 2031 pick coming in, there’s very little incentive for Atlanta to bite, unless a third team comes through with a young piece they’re willing to dump and the Hawks are willing to take a chance on. That’s a tough needle to thread.
Also, Bogdanovic is also yet another combo guard, and he’d be joining a team that already has Booker, Beal, Allen and possibly a returning Eric Gordon. The Suns should be targeting good players with multiple years left on their contracts, and Bogdanovic fits the bill, with $49.3 million owed over the next three years. There’s just too many hoops to jump through for a 31-year-old who would only deepen Phoenix’s positional overlap.
2. Ivica Zubac
Zubac is perhaps the most underrated center in the league, and someone who’s routinely proven himself in drop coverage — the type of pick-and-roll defense Mike Budenholzer employed during his time with the Milwaukee Bucks. There’s nothing glamorous about Zu’s 11.7 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game, but he knows his role and executes it well.
Defensively, Zubac held opponents to 11.5 percent worse shooting at the rim than normal. He was similarly effective to Nurk in setting good screens, ranking in the 92nd percentile in screen assists per 75 possessions. And while he’s nowhere near the passer that Nurkic is, Zubac was a better finisher around the basket. There would be tradeoffs with a move like this, but overall, he’d be an upgrade for this Big 3.
The problem is the Clippers are projected to be a tax apron team, which means they’d need a third party to facilitate. Furthermore, the only way a deal like this happens is either A) Paul George intends to leave and the Clippers try and accumulate draft assets like Phoenix’s 2031 first-rounder as they revamp or B) a third party offers something enticing enough to convince LA downgrade from Zubac to Nurkic at center.
Maybe sending Bones Hyland to the third team makes sense for LA in order to take on a slightly larger contract, since Zubac only earns $11.7 million on his expiring deal. However, if the Clippers re-sign both Paul George and James Harden to push into the second tax apron, they wouldn’t be allowed to send both Zubac and Hyland out in the same trade, even if they got a piece (or pieces) in return that were less than their combined $15.9 million salaries.
Zubac would be an idyllic, possibly attainable piece to target, but the Clippers’ uncertain future could lead them down a few different avenues. Unless that path is “dramatically tweak the roster,” it’s unlikely these two sides would be able to work out something sensible for both parties — or all three parties, if both teams wind up in the apron.
3. Brandon Clarke and Vince Williams Jr./Jake LaRavia
Ideally, the Suns would go for Clarke and Williams if they’re giving up a first-round pick, but since Williams was such a success story for the Memphis Grizzlies, we’re including the possibility they tell the Suns “no thanks” and pivot to another option.
Clarke saw his minutes fluctuate over the last couple years, and he only played six games this season after recovering from a torn Achilles he suffered in 2023. But he’s an athletic glue guy who can spend time as a small-ball 5, he’s still only 27 years old, and he’s only owed $37.5 million over the next three years. Perhaps now is the time to ask, while his value is still low and the Grizzlies are coming off an injury-decimated season.
As for Williams, he quickly proved his promise as a two-way wing who averaged 10.0 points, 5.6 assists and 3.4 rebounds in his first season as a legitimate rotation player. He’s still only 23 years old, shot 37.8 percent from 3 on 4.0 attempts per game, and he’s only owed $6.9 million over the next three seasons. That’s an absolute steal from a value perspective, and nabbing two younger players who each have three years left on their contracts would be a huge help for a second tax apron team like Phoenix.
However, Memphis has zero incentive to give up younger players on team-friendly contracts for two years of Jusuf Nurkic, and even a first-round pick probably won’t change that math. Perhaps pivoting to LaRavia — someone we covered in our last trade article — in Williams’ place changes things, but that first-rounder and the prospect of giving Jaren Jackson Jr. a bruising center to play with would have to do the heavy lifting.
4. Robert Williams III
Surprisingly enough, the Portland Trail Blazers are projected to be a first apron team, which means they can’t take back more salary than they send out. Nurkic makes about $6 million more than Robert Williams’ $12.4 million salary, which means a third team would have to be willing to send Rip City something decent in order to then take on Nurk.
It’s hard to see that happening, and for all Nurk’s faults, at least he was available. Time Lord has struggled with injuries throughout his career and is coming off a season where he only played six times. He’s played 62 games one season, 51 games in another, and failed to reach 35 games in his other four NBA seasons.
Despite having a team-friendly salary, and despite what he can do as a shot-blocker and rim finisher, Williams is way too risky a bet for the Suns to take before you even get into finding a third party to facilitate.
Jusuf Nurkic trades that feel hopeful bordering on unrealistic
5. Mitchell Robinson
The New York Knicks are in a good spot. They don’t have to do anything. They could trade some of their assets to add another star alongside Jalen Brunson, but they could also just re-sign Isaiah Hartenstein, run it back, and hope for a healthier season.
However, Mitchell Robinson hasn’t exactly been the epitome of health. He played in just 31 games this season, 59 last season, a career-high 72 the year before that, and 31 the year before. His $14.3 million salary next year (plus another $13 million in 2025-26) is hardly bothersome, but for the sake of being thorough in exploring salary options that align with Nurkic, let’s daydream for a minute.
Robinson is not perfect by any means, and offensively, he’s a virtual non-factor outside of five feet from the basket — and even then, he had a rough year finishing around the rim. The 7-footer averaged a career-worst 5.6 points per game this season on a career-low 57.5 percent shooting overall, including 58.9 percent at the rim. Although he’s still only 26 years old, his frequent injury problems would be quite a gamble for the Suns.
However, there’s no question he’d be a defensive upgrade. He’s active on the boards, averaging between 8-9 rebounds a night over the last four seasons despite never playing more than 28 minutes per game. He’s a frequent source of second chances because of his elite work on the offensive glass, ranking second in the NBA in offensive boards per game, and he’s hyperactive shot-blocker when he’s on the floor.
The problem is, this year’s 22nd overall pick or a distant first-rounder in 2031 probably isn’t enough to convince New York to swap a younger, more athletic big on a cheaper contract like Robinson with an older, defensively flawed center who’d likely be their backup.
6. Caris LeVert/Max Strus
The Suns could really use more wings who either defend, create their own shot or can knock down 3s at a high clip. Despite being more of a combo guard, the 6-foot-6 Caris LeVert checks two of those boxes.
As a career 34.1 percent 3-point shooter, the “knock down 3s” part leaves something to be desired. Still, LeVert had a good year in Cleveland, averaging 14.0 points, 5.1 assists and 4.1 rebounds in 28.8 minutes per game, coming off the bench in 58 of his 68 appearances. He’s a frequent driver, a reliable finisher around the basket and an underrated playmaker too.
However, as much as the Cavaliers seem to be at a crossroads with the Donovan Mitchell-Darius Garland backcourt, that doesn’t mean they’ll start siphoning off parts for nothing. LeVert is on a $16.6 million expiring contract, so maybe that incentivizes Cleveland to think about dealing him next February, but it’s probably too early for them to be thinking about that. Nurkic and a first-rounder doesn’t solve too many of their problems, unless they’re convinced he’d be a superb backup to put behind Evan Mobley once they deal Jarrett Allen elsewhere.
Strus feels like the less versatile player, given that he’s not a plus-defender like LeVert or a guy who creates a ton of offense. He’s not really a wing at 6-foot-5, and even his trademark skill — 3-point shooting — leaves a bit to be desired, since he only made 35.1 percent of his 6.8 long-range attempts per game this year.
He may feel less intrinsic to what the Cavs are building, but they did just sign him to a deal that still has $47.8 million left on it over the next three years. Spending a starting center and a first-round pick on a bench piece that still leaves Phoenix scrambling to find a replacement at the 5 doesn’t seem prudent.
7. Larry Nance Jr. and Jordan Hawkins
As we mentioned in our last trade piece, just because Willie Green didn’t play Jordan Hawkins much during his rookie season doesn’t mean the New Orleans Pelicans will just give away a young shooter for nothing. Ditto for Larry Nance Jr., a solid small-ball 5 who’s sometimes felt under-appreciated because of the Pels’ lack of options at center.
Nance’s $11.2 million expiring deal may change how the Pelicans view him if they don’t give him an extension, but we’re not there yet. And even with Jonas Valanciunas being an unrestricted free agent this summer, they may not view another plodding, physical big like Nurkic as the long-term answer.
Nance would be a terrific option for Phoenix at the 4 and some doses of small-ball 5 as someone who shot 73.3 percent at the rim, but even with a first-rounder attached to Nurk, the Suns would have little chance of getting this one across the finish line.
8. T.J. McConnell and Jalen Smith
We’ve written about T.J. McConnell multiple times over the last few years, and with the Suns needing a backup point guard, it’s no surprise that one of the best in the business finds his name on our list once again.
Make no mistake: There’s a reason the Suns have been interested in McConnell for years. He’d be a sublime fit for the second unit, putting pressure on the rim after ranking in the 100th percentile in drives per 75 possessions. He’s an exceptional playmaker, placing in the 100th percentile in assist points per 75 possessions. And he’s a devoted ball hound on the defensive end, ranking in the 97th percentile in steals per 75 possessions.
Unfortunately, McConnell just spent all season and an entire Eastern Conference Finals run ingratiating himself in the hearts of Indiana Pacers fans and the minds front office executives. There’s no way he’s going anywhere now, especially with the way he filled in for an injured Tyrese Haliburton at multiple points.
McConnell is on a $9.3 million expiring contract, but he’s also eligible for a well-deserved extension. Throwing in Jalen Smith and his $5.4 million player option would simply be to give Phoenix another bigger body, but this is a pipe dream. The Pacers are on the rise, ready to contend, and in no need of an older backup center.
9. Aaron Nesmith and Jarace Walker
The same logic goes for a package centered around Aaron Nesmith and Jarace Walker. The rookie Walker barely saw the court this season in Indiana, but that’s because the Pacers were better than expected.
Attaching a top-10 pick from just last year in a trade for Nurk and a distant first-rounder would be bad business for Indiana before one considers how important Nesmith’s 3-point shooting (41.9 percent) and pesky perimeter defense was for the Pacers.
Nesmith would be a great two-way pickup for the Suns for both those reasons, but the Pacers’ run to the conference finals made him far too valuable to even consider a trade like this.
10. Harrison Barnes/Kevin Huerter
Suns fans have been dreaming about Harrison Barnes for years now, but don’t expect those dreams of landing an optimal small-ball 4 to materialize anytime soon. The Sacramento Kings have decisions to make about whether they want to re-sign Malik Monk and spend luxury tax money on a team that missed the playoffs altogether, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’d make either Barnes or Kevin Huerter available.
Even if they did, swapping one of them for Nurk and a pick only adds to their salary for the upcoming season. Barnes makes $18 million next year, while Huerter makes $16.8 million.
Landing a two-way forward like Barnes would allow KD to spend more time at the 3. He only averaged 12.2 points in 29.0 minutes per game this year, but he still shot 38.7 percent from 3 and could help tackle defensive assignments on the wing.
As for the 25-year-old Huerter, his trade value probably isn’t this low. He still has two years left on his contract, and despite coming off a down season that ended early due to a dislocated shoulder, he’s still a reliable 3-point marksman and double-digit scorer on a manageable salary.
Unless the Kings go in a drastically different direction that would make no sense, shipping off either one of these guys for Nurk and a pick would be a head-scratching move.
11. Tim Hardaway Jr.
Aside from the fact that the Dallas Mavericks are one win away from the NBA Finals, their center rotation seems pretty set between Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II. Maybe a year ago this would’ve been more feasible, but now, they have zero need for Jusuf Nurkic.
Thanks to his streakiness, and both Derrick Jones Jr. and P.J. Washington coming to life, Tim Hardaway Jr.’s barely been a part of the Mavs’ playoff rotation. That makes him expendable, but his $16.2 million expiring contract is too big to be absorbed by Nassir Little or David Roddy.
That leaves Nurk as the only sensible candidate, but again, the Suns shouldn’t just dump their starting center for a mediocre bench wing, especially since their avenues for then replacing Nurk at center would be severely limited. Phoenix could certainly use a guy who regularly takes 7-8 3-pointers a night, but there’s no realistic pathway to getting it done.
12. Jonathan Isaac/Wendell Carter Jr.
Adding either one of these frontcourt defenders would be a godsend for the Suns. Isaac is one of the more versatile defenders in the game when he’s actually on the court, ranking in the 86th percentile in on-ball perimeter defense as well as the 81st percentile in blocks per 75 possessions, 99th percentile in deflections per 75 possessions and 100th percentile in steals per 75 possessions.
The problem is he struggles to stay healthy. He only averaged 6.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in his 15.8 minutes per game this season, appearing in 58 games for an Orlando Magic team that ranked third in defensive rating. Since the 2019-20 season — five years ago — he’s played in a grand total of 103 games. This year was a step in the right direction, but he’s got a long ways to go in getting his NBA career back on track.
Isaac is a Swiss Army knife defensively, but he’s not a center. The Magic may not be willing to ship his $17.4 million expiring deal off for so little, since Nurk and another first-round pick don’t really fit the timeline of a young team that just made the leap to the playoffs. They have needs, like adding facilitators and 3-point shooters, but the Suns’ trade package wouldn’t really help them much on either front unless they really liked Nurk as a backup behind Wendell Carter Jr.
Or, ya know, as an outright replacement in this fever dream scenario:
Carter would be a well-rounded addition to this Suns team. He’s still only 25 years old, and only makes $12 million next year, before his contract declines slightly to $10.9 million in 2025-26. Carter shot 78.1 percent at the rim, which ranked in the league’s 95th percentile, so he’d be a vast improvement over Nurkic in that respect.
He’s also capable when it comes to freeing guys up, ranking in the 92nd percentile in screen assists per 75 possessions. Despite what his low rebounding numbers indicate on a per-game basis, that was mostly because he was only playing 25.6 minutes a night. His block numbers were low too, but he still held opponents to 4.6 percent worse shooting at the rim. And while he’s not the best switchable big on the perimeter, he’s at least capable.
Again, though, the Magic aren’t doing this. Maybe Phoenix could try to sweeten the pot by offering Nassir Little or David Roddy in a separate “wink wink” trade, where Orlando doesn’t give up anything of value and simply absorbs the extra contract into cap space. Basically, the Magic could send a heavily protected second-round pick just to satisfy trade rules, while pocketing a young player with potential.
But Little and Roddy don’t have much trade value, and neither does Nurk. For the Magic’s purposes of accelerating this young core’s window, a pick in 2031 doesn’t help much either. So if you’re starting to feel frustrated that every Suns trade target so far either feels underwhelming or unrealistic…well, that’s kind of the point.
How about some trade options that might actually work?
Jusuf Nurkic trades that kinda sorta actually might make sense maybe
13. Alex Caruso and Jevon Carter
Oh, so you wanted a point guard just to be able to say the Suns have a point guard despite the fact that the “point guard” in question doesn’t really play like a traditional point guard?
WELL, HOW ABOUT TWO OF THEM?
In all seriousness, while neither Caruso nor Carter functions as a pass-first guard, they would bring some desired traits to the table for Phoenix: toughness, point-of-attack defense, ball screen navigation and reliable 3-point shooting.
Caruso has now earned All-Defensive team honors in back-to-back seasons, being one of the peskiest on-ball defenders in the league. The Suns could badly use someone of his skill-set to navigate screens, put pressure on opponents’ top perimeter threats and simply get under somebody’s skin out there. When he made All-Defensive First Team in 2023, Caruso ranked in the 98th percentile or better in every single one of these categories:
- On-ball perimeter defense (99th)
- Passing lane defense (99th)
- Steals per 75 possessions (98th)
- Deflections per 75 possessions (98th)
- Off-ball chaser defense (100th)
- Ball screen navigation (100th)
The fact that he averaged a career-high 10.1 points per game while making 40.8 percent of his 4.7 3-point attempts per game this season doesn’t hurt either!
As for Carter, Suns fans are familiar with the Bulldog, but the 28-year-old has expanded his game a bit since leaving Phoenix. His shot selection still isn’t the best, but he’s more confident in creating his own looks, brings that trademark tenacity to the defensive end, and he shot 42.1 percent from 3 last year in Milwaukee before backsliding to 32.9 percent this year in Chicago.
Perhaps a change of scenery would help him recapture some of that efficiency. He’s on a bargain deal worth $6.5 million this year, with a $6.8 million player option for 2025-26. The 30-year-old Caruso, meanwhile, is on a $9.9 million expiring contract that will make him highly coveted around the league.
And there’s the problem: Even if the Chicago Bulls mercifully blow it up and head in a different direction, there will probably be a bidding war for the services of a guy like Caruso. Is Nurkic and either the 22nd pick in this year’s draft or a distant first-rounder in the 2031 really the best they’ll be able to do?
Chicago is the type of team that would probably be willing to take on an unnecessary contract like Nurk if there’s a first-rounder attached, but they’ve been holding out for value on Caruso for years now. Unless the Suns are somehow the only team that comes calling, it feels like the Bulls might be able to do better. And even if we overlook that hurdle…the Suns would still be in desperate need of a starting center after an exchange like this.
14. Dorian Finney-Smith
Notice how few of these trades actually net the Suns a replacement for Jusuf Nurkic at the 5? That’s because most of them are making too much money, and the ones who aren’t — like the Brooklyn Nets’ Nic Claxton — are either free agents or too valuable to be realistic options.
But as fun as it is to daydream about Claxton, let’s turn our attention to another Net, Dorian Finney-Smith. If the Suns want a defensive-minded wing who can move Durant to the 3 while also knocking down the occasional triple, DFS is one of the better options out there.
Sure, his first season and a half in Brooklyn was underwhelming. He only shot 34.8 percent from 3 this year, his scoring numbers are down from his last four seasons in Dallas, and his metrics were down across the board on both ends. At age 31, he’s not going to suddenly start adding new elements to his game.
However, on a team that wants to compete for championships right away, Finney-Smith’s versatile wing defense, small-ball capabilities and perimeter shooting would hopefully shine through again. This could be the ideal time to buy low, while the Nets are still trying to figure out what the hell they’re doing after their first full year of building around Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson went awry.
Finney-Smith earns $14.9 million next year, with a $15.4 million player option for 2025-26, so if the Nets are unimpressed with him — while also juggling the possibility of Claxton signing elsewhere in free agency — Nurk could wind up being a sensible stopgap at center until Brooklyn has a clearer plan and timeline for their rebuild.
Letting Claxton walk and trading for Nurkic is hardly an enticing outcome for Nets fans, but if there’s yet another Suns first-round pick attached, that might be a little more comforting as the front office searches for a more concrete path to making Brooklyn a playoff squad again.
15. Kelly Olynyk and Jalen McDaniels
We covered Jalen McDaniels in our last trade article, but just to recap, adding a 6-foot-9 wing defender who may simply need a chance of pace doesn’t sound like a bad idea!
Remember, McDaniels may not be his younger brother, Jaden McDaniels, but even in a “down year,” he still ranked in the 84th percentile in pickpocket rating, 87th percentile in deflections per 75 possessions and 83rd percentile in steals per 75 possessions. If the Suns are looking for someone to alleviate the pressure on Durant to tackle opponents’ best wings, McDaniels could help there on his $4.7 million salary.
As for Olynyk, while he’s hardly a defensive stalwart, at least the Suns would be getting some kind of center in a Nurkic trade? He’s definitely not the answer as the starter, but he could be a high-end backup on a playoff team, and he’s only owed $26.2 million over the next two seasons.
Olynyk is similar to Nurkic because of his basketball I.Q. and exceptional passing ability, as he averaged 4.4 assists per game last year between the Utah Jazz and Detroit Pistons. He’s nowhere near as imposing on the boards, and he can be a defensive liability, but he’s also more of a floor-spacer, shooting 36.9 percent from 3 for his career, and he’s a surprisingly good finisher around the rim, ranking in the 87th percentile in rim efficiency.
In terms of shoring up the center rotation, Olynyk wouldn’t solve all of Phoenix’s problems in the wake of a Nurkic trade, but he’d at least cover the backup 5.
16. Cody Martin and Nick Richards
This isn’t our first attempt to trade for Nick Richards, but this one might make more sense since it lands Phoenix a big man and a wing in Cody Martin. The problem, once again, is that the Suns are trading a starting-caliber big in Nurk for a guy who’s probably just a high-end backup.
Don’t get me wrong: Richards is the type of younger, rim-running big the Suns should covet. He shot 75.4 percent at the rim and ranked third in the NBA in screen assists per 75 possessions this year. Richards won’t turn 27 until November, is on an incredibly team-friendly contract worth $10 million over the next two years, and he’d give Phoenix more athleticism and vertical spacing at the 5.
But going from a tanking team like the Charlotte Hornets to a team with title aspirations would be quite a leap, especially if he wound up being the Suns’ starting center to begin the season.
The other potential problem here is that Cody Martin has not exactly proven himself to be a rotation-level wing like his twin brother, Caleb Martin. Over five years in Charlotte, Cody has never averaged more than 7.7 points per game, he’s never shot better than 32.1 percent from 3, and he’s played a grand total of 35 games over the last two years.
However, Martin would at least put some pressure on the paint, ranking in the 76th percentile in drives per 75 possessions, the 91st percentile in drive assist rate and the 70th percentile in rim efficiency. He’d be something of a flier, with the Suns hoping that what he’s showed in spurts on a miserable team would translate better to a more competitive, veteran environment.
Martin only makes $16.8 million over the next two years, and the final year of his contract is non-guaranteed. For a rebuilding team like Charlotte, taking on Nurk’s contract probably isn’t a problem as long as there’s a future first-rounder in it for them. In this case, Phoenix might be wise to try and push for this year’s pick at No. 22.
They may also prefer to push for Tre Mann and Nick Richards, given that Mann is a young point guard who showed promise in Charlotte last season. The question is whether the Hornets would be willing to give up two younger players on bargain contracts for a future first.
17. Isaiah Stewart
We have to address the elephant in the room first: Make this move, and Drew Eubanks is either opting out of his player option or preparing for a trade out of Phoenix. Either way, though, the Suns are taking a gamble on younger, rawer talent as their new starting center.
Stewart’s been in the league for four years now, but he’s still only 23 years old. He’s struggled to stay on the court the last two seasons, playing in 46 games this year and 50 games last year, but he’s been a consistent starter for the Detroit Pistons, approaching double-double territory on a near-nightly basis. After being signed to a four-year, $60 million extension, the Suns having a young, developing player under contract for four more years would be useful.
However, there are inherent flaws in his game that might leave Phoenix better off keeping Nurkic. While Stewart is a capable screen-setter, ranking in the 76th percentile in screen assists per 75 possessions, he’s also a poor finisher. He shot a pretty similar percentage around the basket as Nurkic, ranking in the 56th percentile in rim efficiency. Stewie held opponents to 12.1 percent shooting at the rim, which is exceptional, but he also checks out as a poor defender on the perimeter. That might leave him susceptible to a lot of problems Phoenix encountered with Nurk in the playoffs.
Stewart might be worth a look as a backup big, but on that new contract extension, this would feel like quite a gamble for the Suns. Even before his run-in with Eubanks, he’s got a history of not always keeping his cool, and while this roster could certainly use some fire, the accompanying skill-set has to fit too.
18. Steven Adams
This is an intriguing thought on paper, but a sizable risk in reality. Steven Adams didn’t play a single game this year as he recovered from PCL surgery, and last season, he missed 40 games, many of which came from that same knee injury.
It’s the ultimate buy-low move that could pay off…or could leave the Suns trotting out a backup center in place of an injured Adams on a nightly basis.
For many, the risk would be too great here, and that’s understandable. Adams turns 31 in July, and most 7-footers don’t have a history of getting healthier at this point in their careers.
However, it’s worth noting that when healthy, Adams is an absolutely imposing physical force. He was an absolute beast on the offensive boards when we last saw him in 2022-23, ranking in the 99th percentile in offensive rebounds per 75 possessions, as well as the 97th percentile in put-backs per 75 possessions.
Running into a Steven Adams screen is the basketball equivalent of running face-first into brick wall, and it’s no surprise he ranked in the 99th percentile in screen assists per 75 possessions in his last (somewhat) healthy season. This is quite possibly the only trade on our entire list where you probably wouldn’t have to offer a first-round pick.
However, as nice as those traits would look next to the Big 3, especially on Adams’ $12.6 million expiring contract, similar flaws start to surface once you dig deeper.
Aside from the injury concerns, Adams is not a great finisher. He’s shot 58.7 percent overall for his career, and in his last healthy season, his rim efficiency wasn’t much higher than Nurk this year. Adams is not a threat outside the paint, and while he’s capable of slinging dimes from the elbows, he’s not as good as Nurkic in that regard. And while he’s certainly a sturdy paint presence, Adams is not a shot-blocker or a rim deterrent, and his flat-footedness leaves him susceptible to being targeted on the perimeter.
A few years ago, it would have been compelling to picture Adams setting bone-crunching screens for Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. But now, coming off a major knee surgery? There’s just too much risk to seriously consider it.
19. Jordan Clarkson
Remember a year ago, when everyone in the Valley was dead-set on adding Jordan Clarkson as a “point guard”? Clarkson went on to shoot 41.3 percent from the floor and 29.4 percent from 3 this year, but maybe that could help the Suns if Danny Ainge missed his window to sell high.
The 2021 Sixth Man of the Year turns 31 this summer, but he could offer Phoenix another score-first guard off the bench. Clarkson is a streaky player, with his makes overshadowing questionable shot selection at times as the ultimate “no no no no YES!” player. Adding an actual backup point guard, defensive wings and playoff-capable centers should be a higher priority for the Suns.
But they do love players who can put the ball in the hole, and Clarkson’s ability to create his own buckets would certainly help in a playoff setting — as would his underrated playmaking. Even in a down year, he still averaged 17.1 points and 5.0 assists per game, ranking in the NBA’s 95th percentile in points per possession on isolations and the 88th percentile in assist points per 75 possessions.
Clarkson makes $28.4 million over the next two years, but the question is whether he’s worth a first-round pick at this point. Ainge will certainly want one, but is this where Phoenix should use one of its two available first-rounders? In a trade that also deprives them of their starting center in exchange for a streaky gunslinger off the bench?
20. Tre Jones
The Suns have been burned before by solid role players on bad San Antonio Spurs teams who immediately turned into pumpkins in Phoenix, but Tre Jones would address a position of need as a backup point guard.
Jones is on a $9.1 million expiring contract, and while the Spurs clearly like him, nobody but Victor Wembanyama is off limits. San Antonio might benefit from adding a capable bruiser like Nurkic to challenge Wemby in practice, back him up in games, and protect him in Nurk’s trademark fashion. The Spurs also have more than enough cap space to absorb his contract without breaking a sweat, especially if they net another first-rounder in the process.
Giving up a first for Tre Jones is the dicey part, but he is a solid floor general with room to grow. The former Duke product put up 10.0 points and 6.2 assists in just 27.8 minutes per game this season, shooting 50.5 percent overall. Despite being undersized at 6-foot-1, he’s an exceptional finisher, shooting 73 percent at the rim, which ranked in the league’s 90th percentile.
That helped make up for Jones’ lackluster 3-point shooting (33.5 percent), which is certainly an area for concern, since he ranked in the 97th percentile in openness rating on those looks. In any case, Jones can run an offense, organize the second unit, get into the paint to collapse a defense, and set his star teammates up. He ranked in the 96th percentile in assist points per 75 possessions, and that was playing on a Spurs team that was bottom-five in offensive rating.
Expiring contract or not, Jones is only 24 years old and would certainly be worth a look. The problem here is, once again, a move like that would rob Phoenix of one of their two tradable first-rounders and leave them without a starting-caliber center. Jones could definitely help with some areas of need, but it’s hard to justify this trade without a clear followup move to address the 5-spot.
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