👋 GOOD MORNING
Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025 — Happy Tuesday! Before I dive into the Suns’ Bradley Beal/Jusuf Nurkić drama, I’d be remiss I didn’t discuss the news from NHL insider Craig Morgan, who reported yesterday Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Chairman Tom Galvin is forming an advisory committee dedicated to bringing the NHL back to Arizona. Morgan also confirmed NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and Galvin met via Zoom prior to Christmas.
Whoa.
Obviously this strikes near-and-dear to my heart, and the news is both encouraging and exciting. This market deserves an NHL franchise with an owner (or owners) that care about the Arizona community — and winning championships — as opposed to another scheme to line their own pockets via various real estate ventures. That this initiative is being spearheaded by a local politician is encouraging, but you’ll forgive me if I also meet the news with a healthy dose of skepticism. Logistically speaking, there are so many obstacles, I’d recommend holding off on saving up for those season tickets just yet.
First there’s the obvious obstacle: An arena. Yeah, they need one of those, and Glendale Arena Jobing.com Arena Gila River Arena Desert Diamond Arena is decidedly not it. Who’s going to build one? Who’s going to pay for it? Public sentiment continues to sour around any use of taxpayer funds or incentives for arena purposes, and that’s not likely to shift anytime soon.
Then, of course, there’s an even bigger question — Who? When the Coyotes relocated to Salt Lake City prior to the 2024-25 season, current owner Ryan Smith paid a cool $1.2 billion for the “expansion” team. That number isn’t going down, so who’s going to pay for that AND an arena/entertainment district?
It’s not that it can’t be done — it certainly can, and the NHL has shown in the past it is committed to the market — but it’s going to take the right individual(s) and some insanely deep pockets to keep this momentum moving.
On to the show!
Trade Drama Reaching Fever Pitch as Beal Dominates Off Bench
A few months ago, it seemed unfathomable to imagine a healthy Bradley Beal and/or Jusuf Nurkić coming off the bench for the Suns. That scenario became a stunning reality on Monday.
The result? A 109-99 win over the Philadelphia 76ers.
If coach Mike Budenholzer was sending a message to the slumping Suns, Beal heard it loud and clear, as he led the team with 25 points off the bench in 30 minutes while also contributing five assists. That offensive output helped Phoenix to a 54-7 scoring advantage off the bench, silencing his critics while showcasing his ability if a potential deal is made.
The win snapped a four-game losing streak and was just the second victory over the team’s last nine games. So, yeah, it came at a good time, even if it was against the 14-20, Joel Embiid-less 76ers.
Beal Delivers, Nurkić Chips In Off The Bench
Beal’s performance was dazzling, showing no impact or ill-will after coming off the bench for the first time since March 2016, a streak of 567 consecutive starts. It marked his highest point total since putting up 28 on Dec. 28 against Golden State, despite playing six fewer minutes on Monday. Nurkić’s line was more modest, notching five points while contributing seven rebounds in just 14 minutes of action, a pretty steep decline from his average of over 24 minutes per game.
Ryan Dunn and Mason Plumlee took Beal and Nurkić’s spot as starters, finishing with 15 and two points, respectively. Plumlee played just 13 minutes but also contributed seven rebounds, as he, Nurkić and Oso Ighodaro rotated throughout the game.
Beal’s attitude and performance impressed the rookie Dunn.
“I give Brad a lot of credit. I look up to him,” Dunn told the Suns broadcast team following the game. “He came out and had a positive energy, positive mindset the whole time. There was nothing negative about it.”
Was This For a Spark, or Something More?
The decision to bench both Beal and Nurkić fueled rampant speculation around possible trade interest, specifically with Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler. Suns fans have witnessed the impact of the “Big 3” of Beal, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker when fully healthy (see: 9-2 start), but the team has not found any semblance of consistency since.
Beal was all smiles following the win.
“I’m always willing to do whatever the team needs, and I’m always ready to go,” Beal said. “It was no different tonight.”
The reality of the Suns’ current situation is one where it’s still unlikely they land Butler in a blockbuster trade. It’s been widely speculated that Miami has no interest in obtaining Beal — who would need to waive a no-trade clause to be on the move — so Phoenix would need to find another trade partner to help broker any such deal.
The 30-year-old Nurkić is averaging roughly 8.8 points per game, his lowest output since 2016-17 (8.0 ppg), and the emergence of Ighodaro and Plumlee has left fans questioning his longterm role.
Will Beal or Nurkić Be Shipped Out?
Short answer: Wait and see.
Is it possible? Sure. But the 36-year-old Kevin Durant, who is still playing at a superstar level, has a window that is rapidly closing. Would he be able to adjust in time to help Phoenix if Beal was shipped out? He’s a consummate professional, so we wouldn’t put it past him, but it’s also asking a lot for a team that’s still learning a new head coach’s system.
The Suns are back to it tonight in Charlotte, and the final score against the 7-27 Hornets will likely speak volumes. Until then, it’s fair to assume Budenholzer will again follow the formula that added up to a win on Monday, especially considering how happy he was with how the team — and Beal — performed.
“Brad, what he was able to do tonight, he put us in a great spot,” Budenholzer said. “He’s been a pro, and he was there for us tonight in a big way.”
Let’s hope we see that again tonight.
🧢 TIP OF THE HAT BY BRANDED BILLS
Nice feed, nice finish, good win. Do it again tonight!
