Chris Haynes reported on Sunday night that Phoenix Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer intends to sit Bradley Beal and Jusuf Nurkić beginning Monday’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
The significant shift occurs as the Suns, who are now 15-18 and in 12th place in the standings, have lost four straight games. On Christmas Day, they defeated the Denver Nuggets in their most recent victory.
The Suns’ interest in a trade for Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler was also reaffirmed in a story published by The Stein Line. Due to his disruptive behavior toward the team, which included making public remarks regarding his future in Miami, Butler is presently serving a seven-game suspension.
Beal will be replaced by Ryan Dunn, the 28th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. In 29 games this season, Dunn has averaging 6.5 points per game while shooting 43.3% from the field. Beal, a three-time All-Star, has made 23 starts this season and averaging 17.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game.
Nurkić will be replaced in the starting lineup by Mason Plumlee. Plumlee has made 32 appearances this season, which is tied with Tyus Jones for the team-high; Nurkić has started all 23 games in which he has been healthy.
