The Phoenix Suns have finally unloaded Jusuf Nurkic’s contract.
The Phoenix Suns have traded veteran center Jusuf Nurkic to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Cody Martin, Vasilije Micic, and a 2026 second-round pick.
Phoenix will also send their 2026 first-round pick to Charlotte to unload Nurkic’s contract.
The Phoenix Suns are trading Jusuf Nurkic and a 2026 first-round pick to the Charlotte Hornets for Cody Martin, Vasilije Micic and a 2026 second-round pick, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/epRJty7lid
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 6, 2025
Phoenix acquired three first-round picks in the Utah deal to attach to a potential deal to unload a player or use in separate deals. It turns out that Nurkic was the player in that scenario.
Gambo reports that is likely the lone deal of the day for the Suns.
Hearing that will be the only trade for the Suns today.
— John Gambadoro (@Gambo987) February 6, 2025
Cody Martin is a 29-year-old 6’6” wing who has appeared in 39 games for the Hornets this season. Martin is averaging 7.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.3 steals on 43.3% shooting from the field in 24.8 minutes per game. He is shooting 32.3% from three-point range.
Vasilije Micic is a 31-year-old guard who has appeared in 36 games for Charlotte this season. He is averaging 7.5 points, 3.5 assists, and 2.4 rebounds on 34.8% shooting from the field in 21.2 minutes per game. He is shooting 36.0% from three-point range.
Nurkic, 30, was in his second season in Phoenix after being acquired in the Deandre Ayton trade last fall. He has quickly fallen out of the graces of this coaching staff and hasn’t appeared in a game since January 7th.
In 25 games, Nurkic averages 8.6 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 2.3 turnovers per game on 45% shooting from the field. He has 57 turnovers to 47 assists on the season as a “playmaking” big while shooting the worst FG% of his career since his sophomore year in 2015.
Soobum Im-Imagn Images
The Suns unload his remaining $37.5 million contract over the next two seasons. He makes $18,215,000 this year and 19,375,000 in 2025-26 during the final year of his contract.
Sacrificing draft capital to get off his contract was necessary for a non-existent market.
Martin and Micic are both under contract next season, though Micic does have a player option.
The Suns turned Nurkic’s 2-year, $37.5M deal into Cody Martin (2/$16.8M) & Vasilije Micić (2/$15.8M, PO in ‘25).
Swapped one big contract for two smaller, flexible ones.
— John Voita (@DarthVoita) February 6, 2025
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