Suns center Jusuf Nurkic to be reevaluated with thigh injury

Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic will be reevaluated in a week for a right thigh contusion, the team announced Monday.

Nurkic recorded six points and seven rebounds in 17 minutes before exiting Wednesday’s loss to the Brooklyn Nets. He left the game in the third quarter and did not return.

“He’s been dealing with a lot of stuff to start the year, a lot of lower body stuff, a thigh contusion,” Suns coach Mike Budenholzer said Monday. “So I think in a week we will reevaluate and try and get him where he’s 100% healthy.”

The Bosnian big man has played in 16 of Phoenix’s 19 games this season. In addition to missing Saturday’s win over Golden State, he also suffered an ankle injury earlier this season that saw him miss games against the Utah Jazz and Sacramento Kings.

The seven-footer is averaging 8.9 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 24.1 minutes per game this season.

With Nurkic out at least a week, he is scheduled to miss games against the San Antonio Spurs, New Orleans Pelicans, Miami Heat and Orlando Magic.

In Nurkic’s absence, rookie Oso Ighodaro and veteran Mason Plumlee will presumably split time at center.

While Plumlee started on Saturday, he played 16 minutes and shot 1-for-5 from the field and tallied six rebounds, one assist, two blocks and two turnovers.

Ighodaro played 31 minutes and scored six points while shooting 3 of 4. The former Marquette player grabbed eight rebounds and added two blocks to go along with two turnovers.

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