The Phoenix Suns are hoping Jusuf Nurkic’s ankle injury is “short-term” and will cause him to miss the Utah Jazz game

SALT LAKE CITY – Phoenix Suns star starter Jusuf Nurkic is out of Tuesday’s NBA Cup game against the Utah Jazz because of left ankle soreness.

The 7-footer is averaging 9.9 points and 10.2 rebounds in his second season in Phoenix.

“We’ll see how he feels tomorrow,” Suns coach Mike Budenholzer said before Tuesday’s game. “Hopefully it’s short term. I don’t think it’s a thing.”

Budenholzer said Mason Plumlee will take over as the starter for Nurkic, who played only the first half of Sunday’s overtime loss to the Sacramento Kings.

Nurkic didn’t score on 0-for-4 shooting in 15 minutes of play against the Kings.

Nurkic’s absence will also result in rookie big man Oso Ighodaro playing on Tuesday night. Ighodaro scored five points in 10 minutes against the Kings.

The Suns (8-2) are embarking on a four-game road trip that continues Wednesday against the Kings.

Rookie Ryan Dunn makes his fourth career start on Tuesday as he replaces Kevin Durant in the lineup for the second straight game.

Durant is out with a left calf strain that will be reevaluated the weekend of Nov. 23-24 based on the two-week schedule the Suns provided when announcing his injury Saturday.

Suns two-way player Collin Gillespie is also out after suffering a broken right ankle in a G League game with the Valley Suns.

“That’s unfortunate,” said Budenholzer. “He had a great summer. We have said many times how excited we are to have Collin and him as part of our program. We feel like he’s someone who can help us in NBA games. The G League is important to us.” How this team works and how these people grow and develop.”

Gillespie, a point guard, will be reevaluated in four weeks.

“It’s a tough blow for him and for us, but hopefully we can stay on schedule and he’ll be back before we know it,” Budenholzer continued. “He’s tough. He is a competitor. I’m sure he’ll approach his rehab that way.”

Do you have any opinions on the current state of the suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at [email protected] or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Jusuf Nurkic was sidelined for the Suns-Jazz NBA Cup game with an ankle injury