Jusuf Nurkic uses 'Suns in 4' fan meme to address joining Kevin Durant, Devin Booker's Suns in Damian Lillard trade

Jusuf Nurkic, who was reportedly included in the blockbuster Damian Lillard trade, is delighted about his transfer to the Phoenix Suns, where he will be teaming up with Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, as evidenced by his new social media post.

The full trade involves the Milwaukee Bucks acquiring Lillard, the Portland Trailblazers receiving Jrue Holiday, Deandre Ayton, Toumani Camara, the Bucks’ 2029 first-round pick and Bucks draft swaps in 2028 and 2030, and the Phoenix Suns receiving Nurkic, Nassar Little, Keon Johnson and Grayson Allen.

Nurkic immediately expressed his excitement in a post on X, in which he wrote:

“Super EXCITED for my next chapter. @Suns ☀️☀️💪🏻”

His post was accompanied by the famous “Suns in 4” meme.

Nurkic, who will be Phoenix’s new starting center, averaged 13.3 points, 91 rebounds and 2.9 assists last season. He shot 51.9% from the field, 36.1% from 3-point land, and 66.1% from the free-throw line.

Nurkic, 29, is only four years older than Ayton, 25.

The “Bosnian Beast” played six and a half seasons with Portland after being traded by the Denver Nuggets in the middle of the 2016-17 season.

Addressing Portland, Nurkic wrote in a separate post:

“#RipCity ! From bottom of my heart THANK YOU for everything! ❤️My family and I want to say THANK YOU to the entire @trailblazers organization and fans. Much love 🤝”

Is Jusuf Nurkic better than DeAndre Ayton?

Nurkic suffered a broken leg in March 2019, and his performance has been hit since. Expecting him to serve as the defensive cornerstone for a team aiming for a championship can come as a huge challenge.

Nevertheless, Frank Vogel, the new Phoenix Suns coach, has a reputation for effectively utilizing centers. Vogel has emphasized that his defensive strategy centers around big men, and he had the most success using centers like Anthony Davis and Roy Hibbert.

The Suns decided to part ways with Ayton, who averaged 18.0 points and 10.0 rebounds, while shooting at 58.9% from the field and 76% from the free-throw line last season. All of these averages surpass Nurkic's performance in those categories.

However, Ayton's commitment and motivation were in question, and his relationship with the Suns had become strained. He frequently voiced dissatisfaction with the team, even after signing a substantial contract extension.

Bringing Nurkic, who is under contract until the 2025-26 season, on board gives Phoenix the opportunity to start anew and strengthen its frontcourt with an established and skilled big man.