The Nuggets, who exercised their rookie-scale option for shooting guard Gary Harris earlier today, have elected to do the same for Emmanuel Mudiay and Jusuf Nurkic, the team announced via press release. By picking up the third-year option for Mudiay, the team is now on the hook for his salary of $3,381,480 for next season and another $2,947,305 as a result of picking up the fourth-year option on Nurkic. Neither move is a surprise given the importance of the duo in Denver’s future plans.
Nurkic was drafted with the No. 16 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft by Chicago and was acquired by Denver in the same draft-night trade along with Harris. The big has appeared in 94 games in his career, averaging 7.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.2 blocks in 17.6 minutes per game. The 22-year-old’s career shooting numbers are .435/.000/.628.
Mudiay was selected with the seventh overall pick of the 2015 NBA Draft. He played in 68 games, including 66 starts, as a rookie last season, notching averages of 12.8 points, 5.5 assists and 1.0 steals in 30.4 minutes per game. His slash line on the campaign was .364/.319/.670.
No-Brainer Lolx