The Phoenix Suns are set to play against the Washington Wizards on Thursday. However, they could be without two contributors to the team as they are part of the injury report. All-Star guard Bradley Beal has been listed as doubtful due to a left ankle sprain. Center Jusuf Nurkic, meanwhile, is out for the fifth straight game as he continues to deal with illness.
Bradley Beal (left ankle sprain) is doubtful for tomorrow's game against the Wizards. Jusuf Nurkic (illness) is still out, as are the 3 two-way guys.
Malcolm Brogdon, Marvin Bagley Jr. and Saddiq Bey are all out for Washington
— Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) January 15, 2025
On Tuesday, the Suns suffered a 122-117 loss against the Atlanta Hawks. Beal, who finished the game with 11 points off the bench, rolled his ankle in the third quarter. After the game, he talked about his feelings about tweaking his ankle.
“Definitely wasn’t a good tweak, but I just kind of pushed through it,” said Beal. “Did the best I could do to finish.”
Their game against Washington is their first game against each other. Last season, they played against the Wizards twice and won both matchups. In their first game, the former star player for the franchise was sidelined and didn’t have a chance to play.
His first appearance at Capital One Arena after his transfer coincided with his availability for their second game. Beal was 4-for-5 from beyond the arc and finished with 43 points, 6 assists, and 2 steals.
This season, Beal isn’t having the best season, only averaging 17.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists. He has also been reduced to the position of bench player.
Nurkic’s time with the Phoenix Suns could be up after a recent trade
Much like Beal, Phoenix Suns’ Jusuf Nurkic isn’t having the best season. He’s also been moved to the bench in favor of veteran center Mason Plumlee. On Wednesday, the Suns acquired Nick Richards via trade with the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Josh Okogie and three second-round picks, Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro first reported.
The Suns have dealt Josh Okogie and picks for Hornets big man Nick Richards. Details from @Gambo987: https://t.co/SltdWTQOV3
— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) January 15, 2025
The NBA Insider also reported that Richards could take over the starting center spot. At 27 years old, the big man is more athletic and has a more team-friendly contract. The former Hornets center has a three-year, $15 million contract and will earn $5 million this season. Next season, his $5 million contract is a non-guarantee.
Nurkic, on the other hand, has a four-year, $70 million deal. This season, he’s set to earn $18 million and $19.3 million the next season. Both big men have identical numbers but the Suns see Richards as the better option to help Devin Booker and Kevin Durant.
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Reign also writes NBA and WNBA news updates on Sportskeeda. He started as a feature writer for AirAlamo, an NBA website that covers the San Antonio Spurs. Some of his work can also be seen with Valley of the Suns, a Phoenix Suns-centric website, where he served as a contributing writer.
