Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic shared surprising details about his strained relationship with head coach Mike Budenholzer, stating that the two went two months without speaking. The revelation, reported by Arizona Republic’s Duane Rankin, sheds light on Nurkic’s frustration over his diminishing role with the team.
Nurkic, who has been moved to the bench in favor of Mason Plumlee, expressed his professional approach despite the lack of communication. “We don’t have a relationship,” Nurkic said. “So, it’s fine. For me, just be a pro and do the best I can. Work and stay ready for whatever might be, but there is no chaos or bringing that to this team. They already have plenty of it.”
The tension escalated after Budenholzer made lineup changes starting January 6 when the Suns faced the Philadelphia 76ers. Nurkic played limited minutes before being completely benched on January 9 against Atlanta and January 11 against Utah. According to Rankin, Nurkic was not informed beforehand about these decisions, adding to the frustration.
Budenholzer addressed Nurkic’s comments after a recent game, acknowledging the center’s discontent. “He hasn’t played, I’m sure he’s frustrated, so I respect that,” Budenholzer said, as reported by Gerald Bourguet. He emphasized that communication has taken place, stating, “Conversations have been had. There’s been communication… you gotta earn your minutes, and that’s been communicated.”
Nurkic, 30, is in the third year of a four-year, $70 million contract. This season, he has been averaging 8.6 points and 9.2 rebounds in 23.7 minutes per game, numbers significantly below his career averages. The center’s frustrations are compounded by a three-game suspension he received in late December for an altercation with Naji Marshall and P.J. Washington during a game against the Dallas Mavericks.
The Suns, sitting at 23-21 to begin 2025, have struggled to find consistency, leading to speculation about potential roster changes ahead of the February 6 trade deadline. Nurkic’s name has frequently appeared in trade rumors as Phoenix seeks to reshape its roster for a playoff push.
