The Nuggets have seen first-hand that there may not be enough room for both Nikola Jokic and Jusuf Nurkic to thrive in Denver. After starting the first 25 games of the season at center, 23-year-old Nurkic’s role has been drastically reduced. In a timeshare with Jokic, Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post writes, Nurkic has played over 30 minutes only once.
According to Marc Stein of ESPN, the Nuggets are now “openly shopping” the third-year big man.
Though the sample size remains relatively small considering that he spent half of the 2015/16 campaign on the sidelines, Nurkic’s career per-36 numbers paint a picture of promise. The Bosnian Beast is capable of big games, just not while Jokic is in the picture vying for minutes and opportunities of his own.
Nurkic is owed $1.9MM this season, in the second last year of his rookie contract.
Earlier this week, J.J. Vega of FanSided’s NuggLove blog speculated about where the big man could end up.
I would like to see the Blazers on this.
The Knicks should try and get him
Boston should trade for him.
Celtics in ’18 and Clips in ’19? Plus salary going to Brooklyn?
My bad. This isn’t the Lopez post.
Nurkic for Monroe
New Orleans, Chicago, Boston…
Market saturated with the big, slow type: Vuc, Monroe, Okafor, Nurk….
Not sure about “market saturated” when despite the abundance of 3’s any team can use a pound down low, rebounding big man…no one can convince me other wise… big men help you win titles. And Slow????? These guy’s aren’t Shaq.