The Phoenix Suns struggle to secure an automatic playoff spot in the Western Conference despite having Kevin Durant and Devin Booker on their roster. The Suns have put together a good run of form over the past two weeks to crawl up to tenth, but there’s still a long way to go before they secure any postseason basketball.
With the roster in disarray, it makes sense that the Suns are looking at the trade market to find a quick fix to their roster. Jimmy Butler is the most resounding name among NBA circles, with his on-court antics not being subtle about where he wants to go before the trade deadline.
Bradley Beal would most likely be among the assets shipped off if Phoenix makes a move on Butler. Until that happens, the Mike Budenholzer and the coaching staff are focused on making sure he and another role player who fell out of the starting rotation would be ready to play against a bottom feeder in the East.
Phoenix Suns confirm Bradley Beal, Jusuf Nurkic status ahead of Wizards gamge
Budenholzer talked to the media to address the status of both Beal and Nurkic ahead of a seemingly winnable game against the Washington Wizards.
Per Athlon Sports’ Nathaniel Holloway:
On Friday, Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer gave in injury update for both Bradley Beal and Jusuf Nurkić. He does expect Beal to play after practicing on Friday and he also mentioned that Nurkić will return after battling an illness.
Of course, Beal has missed Phoenix’s last game against the Brooklyn Nets due to an ankle injury, but he did go through practice on Friday and Budenholzer expects him to play against Washington. This is great for the Suns as Beal has thrived in his new role off the bench and they need as much help as they can get offensively.
Beal has been fairly effective for the Suns despite his more limited role in the team. He’s currently averaging 17.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.3 assists on 48.5%/38.6%/75.0% shooting splits. Meanwhile, Nurkic’s 8.6 points, 9.2 boards, and 1.9 dimes through 25 games make him a valuable option off the bench.
These two will likely be added to any potential Jimmy Butler deal, but the Phoenix Suns are focused on winning as many games as they can with their current lineup.
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