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Report: Suns shipping benched Jusuf Nurkic to Hornets

February 6 - The Phoenix Suns are trading benched Jusuf Nurkic and a first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft to the Charlotte Hornets for forward Cody Martin, guard Vasilije Micic and a second-round pick in the same draft, ESPN reported Thursday.

Nurkic essentially became persona non grata with the Suns. He hasn't played for Phoenix since Jan. 7 after starting 23 games this season.

The 7-footer told The Arizona Republic last month that he hadn't seen eye to eye with head coach Mike Budenholzer.

"We don't have a relationship," Nurkic said at the time. "So, it's fine.