Jusuf Nurkic's immediate reaction to Hornets-Suns trade
Yesterday at 03:18 PM
Jusuf Nurkic is happy to be a part of the Charlotte Hornets. As the result of an unsuccessful tenure, the Phoenix Suns dealt Nurkic to the Hornets at the 2025 NBA trade deadline.
Reacting to the trade, Nurkic tweeted a trio of emojis: two honeybees and one purple circle. The Bosnian did not release an official statement with his reaction but showed clear signs of excitement with the move.
Truthfully, Nurkic is likely glad just to hear he was traded at the deadline. He began the year as the Suns’ starting center but was benched for Mason Plumlee in early January. The Suns announced they would bench Nurkic at the same time they did Bradley Beal.
However, while Beal transitioned well into a sixth-man role, Nurkic was pushed entirely out of the rotation. Head coach Mike Budenholzer played Nurkic off the bench for a few games before turning to rookie Oso Ighodaro as Plumlee’s backup while the high-paid veteran’s game log racked up DNP-CDs. Since his benching, Nurkic became the Suns’ top trade candidate.
With the trade to the Hornets, Nurkic is gifted with a new start. One day before acquiring Nurkic, Charlotte dealt Mark Williams to the Los Angeles Lakers, giving him an opportunity to return to a starting role.
Despite a down year in 2024-2025, Nurkic is still averaging 12.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.1 blocks per game in his career. He will arrive in Charlotte still just 30 years old with two years left on his contract.
Updated Hornets roster following Jusuf Nurkic trade
Following their second major trade, the Hornets exit the trade deadline with almost an entirely new lineup. The team still revolves around LaMelo Ball but replaced Mark Williams and Cody Martin with Nurkic and Dalton Knecht. Charlotte also received Cam Reddish from the Lakers.
Once finalized, Knecht and Nurkic will likely slot into the starting lineup with Ball and Miles Bridges. Either Josh Green or Nick Smith Jr. will round out the first five. Rising star Brandon Miller would traditionally be in the lineup but will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing wrist surgery.
While bolstering the team’s offensive weaponry, the recent transactions temporarily hurt the Hornets’ bench. Martin was Charlotte’s sixth man for most of his career. Veteran forward Josh Okogie, another key piece off the bench, is out for the time being with a hamstring injury. Moussa Diabate, Seth Curry, Vasilije Micic, Tidjane Salaun and KJ Simpson make up the remainder of the second unit.
Nurkic and Knecht will join the Hornets as they limp ahead of the All-Star break with a 12-36 record. Their playoff hopes are all but dead, but their long-term outlook gives fans a reason to exercise patience for just a bit longer.
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