The situation is increasingly explosive in Phoenix. The defeats kept coming and Mike Budenholzer tried to create an electric shock by putting Bradley Beal and Jusuf Nurkic on the bench. After a victory against the Sixers, the defeat against the weak Hornets clearly did not reassure and, one month before the trade deadline, we can imagine that the Suns press the transfer button.
“The leaders are completely transparent: they are not trying to transfer us”, ensures the pivot. “Afterwards, we're not children either. We are aware that it’s part of the job. There's nothing to do about it, at least in my case. »
He is right to point this out because his teammate Bradley Beal controls his destiny, with his no-transfer clause. So, he has “the cards in hand” according to his own expression. After eleven seasons in the NBA and at 30 years old, Jusuf Nurkic no longer seems to be bothered by these rumors.
“I don’t control these things, knowing that it can happen every day, every season, especially at this time of the season,” he insists. “You can see any name in the rumors, not just mine. It is neither positive nor negative. I think they will be correct and honest but, even if they aren't, fine, that's business. No hard feelings. »
“At this point, the only choice I have is to be professional”
The fatalism of the Phoenix player, who is currently having his worst season in almost a decade, is also present when he has to comment on his relegation to the bench.
“I've been around the league long enough to say no one cares. At this point the only choice I have is to be professional and that's what I'm going to do. I don't want to cause problems for my teammates or the franchise. I will be, as much as possible, professional and will do what is asked of me. »
In December 2015 and January 2016, then in Denver, he was also put back on the bench, losing his starting place for a few weeks, to leave space for a certain Nikola Jokic. The Bosnian did not like it and was transferred to Portland immediately, in February 2016.
“I don’t have the same feeling. I am much more mature than I was then,” he responds when faced with this memory. “And I played with some great players in Portland who taught me a lot about handling those situations. The rest is not in my hands. »
| Jusuf Nurkic | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2014-15 | DEN | 62 | 18 | 44.6 | 0.0 | 63.6 | 2.0 | 4.1 | 6.2 | 0.8 | 3.3 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 6.9 |
| 2015-16 | DEN | 32 | 17 | 41.7 | 0.0 | 61.6 | 2.0 | 3.4 | 5.5 | 1.2 | 2.8 | 0.8 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 8.2 |
| 2016-17 * | All Teams | 65 | 21 | 50.7 | 0.0 | 57.1 | 2.4 | 4.8 | 7.2 | 1.9 | 2.5 | 0.8 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 10.2 |
| 2016-17 * | DEN | 45 | 18 | 50.7 | 0.0 | 49.6 | 2.0 | 3.8 | 5.8 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 0.6 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 8.0 |
| 2016-17 * | POR | 20 | 29 | 50.8 | 0.0 | 66.0 | 3.2 | 7.1 | 10.3 | 3.1 | 3.6 | 1.2 | 3.1 | 1.9 | 15.2 |
| 2017-18 | POR | 79 | 26 | 50.5 | 0.0 | 63.0 | 2.4 | 6.6 | 9.0 | 1.8 | 3.1 | 0.8 | 2.3 | 1.4 | 14.3 |
| 2018-19 | POR | 72 | 27 | 50.8 | 10.3 | 77.3 | 3.4 | 7.0 | 10.4 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 1.0 | 2.3 | 1.4 | 15.6 |
| 2019-20 | POR | 8 | 32 | 49.5 | 20.0 | 88.6 | 2.9 | 7.4 | 10.2 | 4.0 | 4.9 | 1.4 | 2.4 | 2.0 | 17.6 |
| 2020-21 | POR | 37 | 24 | 51.4 | 40.0 | 61.9 | 2.3 | 6.6 | 9.0 | 3.4 | 2.8 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 11.5 |
| 2021-22 | POR | 56 | 28 | 53.5 | 26.8 | 69.0 | 3.0 | 8.1 | 11.1 | 2.8 | 3.4 | 1.1 | 2.6 | 0.6 | 15.0 |
| 2022-23 | POR | 52 | 27 | 51.9 | 36.1 | 66.1 | 2.2 | 6.9 | 9.1 | 2.9 | 3.6 | 0.8 | 2.3 | 0.8 | 13.3 |
| 2023-24 | PHX | 76 | 27 | 51.0 | 24.4 | 64.0 | 2.9 | 8.1 | 11.0 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 1.1 | 2.3 | 1.1 | 10.9 |
| 2024-25 | PHX | 25 | 24 | 45.4 | 32.2 | 69.6 | 1.8 | 7.3 | 9.2 | 1.9 | 3.1 | 0.9 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 8.6 |
| Total | 564 | 25 | 50.2 | 28.6 | 66.8 | 2.5 | 6.4 | 9.0 | 2.5 | 3.2 | 0.9 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 12.0 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
