Phoenix Suns’ Devin Booker addresses media before China Games
Devin Booker held a news conference in Macao, China, leading up to the Phoenix Suns’ preseason matchups against the Brooklyn Nets.
Provided by the Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns will face the Utah Jazz twice early in the 2025-26 regular season.
The Suns conclude a three-game road trip on Monday, Oct. 27, in Salt Lake City and then play Utah again on Oct. 31 in NBA Cup West Group A play at Mortgage Matchup Center.
Phoenix also plays the Memphis Grizzlies to begin a three-game homestand Oct. 29. The Suns round out that homestand against the San Antonio Spurs on Nov. 2.
Phoenix and Utah have three total games against each other this season with the final matchup way down the road on March 28 at Mortgage Matchup Center.
The Suns went 4-0 against the Jazz last season. Phoenix finished 36-46 to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2019-20, which was the last time it had a losing record.
Phoenix will see a familiar face in Jazz center Jusuf Nurkic.
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The Suns landed Nurkic in a three-team deal with Portland and Milwaukee before the 2023 training camp. Damian Lillard went to the Bucks, Deandre Ayton and Toumani Camara were dealt to Portland and Nurkic ended up with the Suns as did Grayson Allen from Milwaukee.
Nurkic averaged 10.9 points and 11 rebounds in 76 games in 2023-24 as the Suns won 49 games, but the Minnesota Timberwolves swept them in the first round.
The Suns fired Frank Vogel after one season and hired Mike Budenholzer.
Nurkic and Budenholzer connected early as his new head coach visited him overseas. Trimming down in weight, Nurkic looked to shoot more 3s in Budenholzer’s system, but he struggled from distance early.
His relationship with Budenholzer deteriorated to the point Nurkic said the two didn’t talk for two months. Nurkic was benched, later didn’t play and the Suns eventually traded him to Charlotte before the 2025 trade deadline for Cody Martin and Vasa Micic.
Nurkic averaged 8.6 points and 9.2 rebounds in 25 games last season for Phoenix. He put up similar number in his 26 games with Charlotte at 9.2 points and 6.5 rebounds.
The Hornets traded Nurkic to Utah for Collin Sexton in the offseason.
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
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