"He hasn't played, I'm sure he's frustrated, so I respect that," Budenholzer said, "Conversations have been had. There's been communication. We have got three to four guys that play the same position;

Veteran center Jusuf Nurkic was benched earlier this season, and in a perfect world, the Suns would love to use his $18.1 million salary to land a difference-maker. In the meantime, though, he is still a member of the Suns and is working through those difficult circumstances.

Suns center Jusuf Nurkić said he and head coach Mike Budenholzer "don't have a relationship" in the aftermath of his benching.