According to ESPN, the Phoenix Suns made a trade with the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday afternoon. The Suns traded Jusuf Nurkic and a 2026 first-round pick to the Charlotte Hornets for Cody Martin, Vasilije Micic, and a 2026 second-round pick. Nurkic, 30, has been averaging 8.6 points, 9,2 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game, while shooting 45.4% from the field and 32.2% from downtown. Read on for further details.
Phoenix Suns-Charlotte Hornets Trade
The Phoenix Suns and Charlotte Hornets’ trade took place on Thursday. ESPN’s Shams Charania posted on X, “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.” Charania’s post generated mixed emotions from the NBA world, with one user asking if the trade matters and another asking if the backcourt success was worth a first-round pick.
Suns-Hornets Trade Outlook
The Phoenix Suns and Charlotte Hornets’ trade outlook appears to be for the best. Nurkic’s stats this season are just fine for a 30-year-old center, but he hasn’t played for the Suns since January 7, 2025. Nurkic played in 23 games before being moved to the bench in early January. Nurkic then told reporters that he and Head Coach Mike Budenholzer “don’t have a relationship.”
Nurkic told reporters last month, “It’s hard to understand why … As you know, I try to do whatever they want from me. I play my role or whatever, but at the end of the day, it’s the NBA.” Nurkic’s words were rather vague, but most, if not all, of the NBA world understood where he was coming from. The Suns acquired Nurkic from the Portland Trail Blazers in a three-team trade before the start of the 2023-24 NBA season. Nurkic started in 76 games that year and averaged 10.9 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists per game while shooting 51% from the field and 24.4% from downtown.
Suns and Hornets’ Next Steps
The Phoenix Suns arguably traded Nurkic just in time as next year is the final season of Nurkic’s four-year, $70 million contract that he initially signed for the Portland Trail Blazers. Nurkic will make $18 million this season. The Suns will host the Utah Jazz in the Footprint Center on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. Pacific as they’ll look to snap a three-game losing skid.
The Charlotte Hornets helped the Suns gain the ability to trade picks in 2028, 2029, or 2030. Martin has spent all of his six years in the NBA with the Hornets after being drafted with the 36th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. Martin is a strong point-of-attack defender and a 6-foot-6 wing who regularly took on the opponents’ best scorers. Martin was previously a star small forward for the EuroLeague.
The Hornets will host the San Antonio Spurs in the Spectrum Center on Friday at 7:00 p.m. Eastern. The Hornets will look to snap a six-game losing skid at home, while the Spurs will look to win their second straight game on the road. De’Aaron Fox enjoyed a historic Spurs debut in the Spurs’ 126-125 win over the Atlanta Hawks in the State Farm Arena on Wednesday night with 24 points, 13 assists, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals for the first time in franchise history a player making a Spurs debut recorded at least 20 points and 10 assists. Fox also scored or assisted on 56 points.
