Jusuf Nurkic is out again.
The bruising center, who survived his first season in Phoenix with a clean bill of health, had too many lower-body injuries to count in the first six weeks of the season. Now, the Suns have ruled Nurkic out for at least the next week with a right thigh contusion.
The move comes off a breakout night for rookie Oso Ighodaro in a win over the Golden State Warriors. In that game, Ighodaro outplayed veteran center Mason Plumlee and more than doubled up Plumlee’s minutes. The matchup favored Ighodaro to be sure, but Ighodaro is also a more natural fit in how the Suns want to play.
Ighodaro is smoother putting the ball on the floor and has a hoops IQ beyond his years. Compared with his ground-bound fellow Suns centers, Ighodaro allows the Suns to be more versatile on defense as well. Add in highlight plays as a rim protector and finisher inside, and it’s clear Ighodaro has earned playing time.
The question of how much could be solved during Nurkic’s absence. With four games this week against smaller teams that Ighodaro should thrive against, the rookie could really build some momentum.
On today’s episode, we debate whether it’s time for the Suns to put an end to their commitment to Nurkic and invest in Ighodaro. The team is much worse when Nurkic plays and his personal statistics are ugly so far.
You could make an easy case the team is better with Ighodaro starting and Plumlee off the bench. Both players certainly have their own weaknesses, but the team’s small-ball identity works better with them.
The Suns could decide it’s too early for such a colossal starting lineup change. Maybe they never do it.
But Nurkic’s latest injury at least creates an opening that Ighodaro could leap through, shaking up the Suns season in the process.
