Jusuf Nurkic finds himself in new territory in the aftermath of the Damian Lillard trade. The 29-year-old center is now with the Phoenix Suns, and Nurkic already got to practice with stars such as Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, and Kevin Durant.
Compared to his time with the Trail Blazers, the Bosnian is expected to take a step back to what he usually does. With three legitimate stars taking the lead, Nurkic could not help but react animatedly to his first practice with his new team, Duane Rankin of Arizona Central reported.
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"I'm coming down the floor and Devin Booker has the ball and I'm running and playing pick-and-roll with D-Book and out of the corner I got KD and Bradley Beal, I'm saying, 'God d---, man. It's kind of crazy when you think about it," Nurkic stated.
Although his role will be vastly different, Nurkic needs to keep his production at the same level. In seven seasons with the Trail Blazers, the 16th overall pick of the 2014 NBA Draft averages 14.4 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.2 blocks in 324 regular season games per Basketball-Reference.
Nurkic is not expected to be a major part of the Suns' offense, with the team's Big Three expected to handle that. However, a lot will be expected from him on the defensive end, Bleacher Report reported. The 7-footer should be an interesting rim protector for Suns head coach Frank Vogel for the 2023-24 NBA wars.
Nurkic fits the Suns better than Ayton
Nurkic takes over the void left by Deandre Ayton, who has long been rumored to want out. And in the eyes of team owner Matt Ishbia, the Bosnian center is a better fit for the team, ESPN reported.
"We're trying to win a championship now. What Nurkic can do on the court and off the court, fitting into our organization, he's a better fit for us. That was the decision we made," the Suns team owner said.
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