The Trail Blazers have issued a qualifying offer to Jusuf Nurkic, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). The offer ensures that Nurkic will be a restricted free agent when the new league year begins this weekend.
Nurkic, acquired by Portland before the 2017 trade deadline, started 79 games for the Blazers in 2017/18, averaging 14.3 PPG, 9.0 RPG, and 1.4 BPG in 26.4 minutes per contest. While Nurkic was somewhat inconsistent and wasn’t necessarily a game-changing force in the middle for the Blazers, he provided solid production at the five and is still entering his prime — he’ll turn 24 in August.
While the Blazers have indicated they’d like to retain Nurkic, it may be challenging for the club to match a lucrative offer sheet for the young center. Portland already has $110MM+ in guaranteed money on its 2018/19 cap for just eight players, so a big raise for Nurkic figures to put the club over the tax line with several roster spots still to fill.
Because he met the starter criteria in 2017/18, Nurkic’s qualifying offer is worth $4,749,591. The Blazers will also have to make decisions on QOs for Shabazz Napier and Pat Connaughton, who are both eligible for restricted free agency.
I think nurkic is a little bit overrated. I’d almost want to have JaVale McGee for the minimum to play center and block shots and get some boards. I don’t think I would sign nurkic to a long-term big-money deal. He kind of gets hurt a little bit and like the article says he’s not that consistent. Look at a guy like capella how he developed. There should be a young guy they can find to do that?
If finding a guy like Capela was thst easy, everyone would do it.
It’s not.
Yup you’re right. ..
Howbout a mid-length medium-money deal?
I hope you weren’t comparing Nurkic to JaVale, I mean JaVale is a no talent guy who just does a little bit for a team, Nurkic is a guy with the potential to be an all-star, don’t think he will reach it, as I have been disappointed with him this year, but man is like comparing KAT to TT. The only positive of JaVale is that been so bad makes him cheap.
Lol, yes you’re right sbout that.
Nurkic and McGee both have plenty of potential. However, if you were going to assign a point value to either fellow’s bring-it-every-night factor, that value would have to be fairly low. If Lillard can’t light a consistent fire under Nurkic … like J. G. Whittier said, “Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these, ‘It might have been.’”