Heading into the 2023-2024 season, the Phoenix Suns have assembled a whole new roster. One of their new additions is Jusuf Nurkic. The Suns acquired the Bosnian center in a three-team trade that saw them send DeAndre Ayton to the Portland Trailblazers. It’s a whole new experience for the Bosnian Beast, who is also joined by another newcomer, Bradley Beal. Expressing his excitement during a press conference, Nurkic discussed the numerous plus points of his new team. From his pick-and-roll opportunities with Devin Booker to the reassurance of having Kevin Durant and Beal on the wings. Clearly, exciting times are ahead for the Suns and their fans, and Nurk is excited to be a part of it.
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Jusuf Nurkic is excited to play alongside Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, and Kevin Durant on the Phoenix Suns
Jusuf Nurkic is the latest edition to the Phoenix Suns’ locker room. And with training camp underway, he seems to be fitting in well too. In the midst of practice, Nurkic was approached by the media, who were curious about his transition from Portland to Phoenix. Speaking about the same, the Bosnian center revealed he is settling in well so far.
Elaborating further, he spoke about the last two days of practice and what it was like. He especially praised Devin Booker, recalling running down the floor and practicing pick and rolls with the 26-year-old. Not to mention the fact that he also noticed the presence of Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal on the wings.
All in all, it was a bit overwhelming for him, to say the least. And, as he so aptly put it, all he could say after the overall experience was, “God Damn!”.
“I look at yesterday and today, I’m coming down the floor and Devin Booker has the ball. I’m running and playing pick and roll with D-Book, but on the corner, I got KD and Bradley Beal, I’m saying, “God Damn!”. It’s kinda crazy when you think about it!”
Jusuf Nurkic said he was running pick-and-roll with Devin Booker and noticed Kevin Durant out there and Bradley Beal.
His reaction.
God damn.” #Suns pic.twitter.com/VA9uFXsolu
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) October 4, 2023
To be fair to Nurk, he’s coming to Arizona at a time when the entire roster has been completely revamped. Moving on from Chris Paul, D-Book is now officially on point guard duty but will look to Beal for help every now and then. Nevertheless, the offense in Phoenix still remains potent. With the likes of KD, Booker, Beal, and more, the Suns will likely be gunning for an NBA Championship.
NBA fans and analysts alike do have concerns over the Phoenix Suns’ defense
There can be no denying that the Phoenix Suns have one of the scariest offenses in the NBA. Led by Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal, there is no doubt that opponents will struggle to contain the Suns. However, while they seem unstoppable on the offensive side of the ball, the same cannot be said about the defensive side.
Several NBA fans and analysts have shared their concerns about the Suns’ lack of defense. After all, the likes of KD and Booker aren’t exactly known for their defense. Nevertheless, new head coach, Frank Vogel has vouched for them. Being a defensive-minded coach, Vogel revealed that he has been impressed by Durant and Booker’s defensive ability so far.
At the end of the day, talk is just that talk. As they say, the proof is in the pudding, and only once the 2023-2024 season commences will we be able to know if there is any weight to the fans concerns or if Frank Vogel is right for brushing them off.
