Report: Jusuf Nurkić, 1st-Round Pick Traded to Hornets; Suns Get Cody Martin, More

The Phoenix Suns are reportedly making a trade prior to Thursday's 3 p.m. ET deadline, but it isn't the blockbuster some might have previously expected.

ESPN's Shams Charania reported Phoenix is sending Jusuf Nurkić and a 2026 first-round draft pick to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Cody Martin, Vasilije Micić and a 2026 second-round draft pick.

It wasn't long ago the Suns figured to be one of the teams to watch leading up to the trade deadline.

After all, they were consistently linked to Jimmy Butler during his saga with the Miami Heat. What's more, there has also been speculation Kevin Durant might be traded as well.

Then there was the looming Bradley Beal issue, as it may have required moving him to bring in a major addition such as Butler. Beal has a no-trade clause as part of a contract that is set to pay him $53.7 million in base salary next season before a $57.1 million player option in 2026-27.

NBA insider Jake Fischer also reported he wanted to stay in Phoenix.

Yet Butler ended up getting shipped to the Golden State Warriors, per Charania, and the Suns ended up making this move to add Martin and Micić at the expense of Nurkić.

Nurkić is the biggest name in the deal and is averaging 8.6 points and 9.2 rebounds per game while shooting 45.4 percent from the field and 32.2 percent from deep in 25 contests this season.

If he remains in Charlotte, he can make up for some of the frontcourt production that was lost when it traded Mark Williams to the Los Angeles Lakers for Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, a 2031 unprotected first-round pick and a 2030 pick swap, per Charania.

As for the Suns, they are 25-25 and sitting in 10th place in the Western Conference standings. They now have some new role players at least as they attempt to find more consistency during the stretch run.