Jusuf Nurkic Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Northwest Notes: Nurkic, Plumlee, Jazz

February 14th, 2017 at 5:03pm CST by Austin Kent

The deal that landed Mason Plumlee may not be the last one the Nuggets make this month, suggests Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders. The reporter relays that his sources believe Denver could still move names like Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari and even second-year point guard Emmanuel Mudiay.

After years of stock piling assets, the Nuggets have emerged as a playoff contender in 2016/17. Leading the charge for the franchise has been sophomore center Nikola Jokic. With Jokic at the helm and the club finally focused on building around him, the the team is in a position to deal some valuable building blocks in an effort to fortify their new core.

Kyler suggests that the emergence of Juan Hernangomez, too, could expedite a formal regime change in Denver. The Nuggets currently sit eighth in the Western Conference.

There’s more out of the Northwest Division:

Newly acquired Trail Blazers big man Jusuf Nurkic spoke with the media about his new home. “I think it’s the perfect place for me,” he told the media. “They need me, and I need them.” The 22-year-old also mentioned that he didn’t mind whether head coach Terry Stotts slotted him into the starting lineup or brought him off the bench.
The Nuggets don’t anticipate having any issues working Mason Plumlee into their rotation, writes Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post. Head coach Mike Malone expects to seamlessly integrate the new big man, adding that Plumlee’s playmaking abilities should help the team’s offense continue to flow well when Nikola Jokic is on the bench.
The Trail Blazers will send $2.85MM to the Nuggets as part of the Nurkic/Plumlee swap, tweets Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders. That, Pincus says, explains why Denver included a first-round pick in their outgoing package. For more details of the trade, consider Mark Deeks of Give Me Sport‘s break down of the deal.
A Utah-based analytics firm will sponsor Jazz jerseys in 2017/18, but rather than plug the company’s own logo, they’ll promote that of a charitable organization generating funds for cancer research. The 5 For The Fight patch will be on Jazz jerseys for at least the first year of the organization’s three-year commitment with the team, writes Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today.

Trail Blazers GM Talks Plumlee, Nurkic, Trades

February 14th, 2017 at 11:57am CST by Luke Adams

The Trail Blazers made a move earlier this week, acquiring Jusuf Nurkic and a 2017 first-round pick from the Nuggets in exchange for Mason Plumlee and a 2018 second-rounder. While many pundits praised the Blazers for the deal, Plumlee’s teammates were sad to see him go, and there are questions about whether Nurkic will have any more of an impact in Portland than he did in Denver.

General manager Neil Olshey spoke to the team’s official website on Monday about the deal, explaining why he was willing to move Plumlee, what he expects from Nurkic, and what else the team might do before February 23.

Let’s round up a few highlights from the Blazers GM…

On the decision to move Plumlee:

“Mason’s impending free agency was certainly a factor. We love Mason, we’re going to miss him around here. We wouldn’t have been in the second round of the playoffs last year without him. But there are certain realities to managing our cap. We felt like we needed to get younger at the center position. We wanted more of a low-post player, someone that can defend size, strength. We found that with Jusuf.”

On the benefits of acquiring Nurkic:

“We felt like in the long run, this will pay longer dividends, having a younger guy on a rookie-scale [contract] to manage our cap with it. He gives us a different look defensively. He’s a big-time rebounder and I think he’ll make the game easier for guys like [Damian Lillard] and [C.J. McCollum] because we’ve got more presence in the paint now defensively.”

On additional trade talks:

“We’re active. … I can’t speak to any specifics. I can tell you that the league is very active right now, but what we’re most excited about is having three picks in this draft. I think we’ve done a very nice job in the draft so far, whether it’s using draft picks to acquire players – like we did with Robin Lopez or Mason Plumlee – or drafting guys like Dame and C.J. and [Allen Crabbe]. So we’re excited about the prospect of that. It’s a big-time draft, it’s got incredible depth. We’ll be excited about it in June, but we now also have those tools for the next 10 days to put into play if a player that’ll impact our win total becomes available.”

On how the Blazers’ loaded salary cap affects their outlook going forward:

“This roster was always going to be a work in progress. We have the benefit of having Paul Allen as an owner. He let us retain all of our players. It wasn’t realistic to think we could manage that cap going forward, but it put us in position to keep as much as possible [and] give ourselves a chance to compete, knowing at some point we’re going to have to make some moves.”

Trail Blazers Trade Mason Plumlee For Jusuf Nurkic

February 13th, 2017 at 10:55am CST by Arthur Hill

FEBRUARY 13: The Nuggets and Blazers have officially completed their trade, according to a press release from Denver. The Nuggets get Plumlee, a 2018 second-round pick, and cash considerations from Portland in exchange for Nurkic and Memphis’ 2017 first-round pick.

FEBRUARY 12: The Trail Blazers will send Mason Plumlee and a 2018 second-round pick to the Nuggets in exchange for Jusuf Nurkic and a 2017 first-round pick, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. The first-rounder will be the Memphis pick that Denver owns.

The deal gives Portland three first-rounders is what is considered to be a strong draft. In addition to their own pick, the Blazers also own Cleveland’s first-rounder.

The trade also eases the luxury tax predicament for Portland, as Plumlee was set to become a restricted free agent this summer, notes Bobby Marks of The Vertical (Twitter link). The team wasn’t able to work out an extension with Plumlee before the October deadline. Portland still has about $130MM in guaranteed contracts for next season (Twitter link).

Plumlee was in the middle of his second season with the Blazers after two years in Brooklyn. He appeared in 54 games, all as a starter, and was averaging 11.1 points, 8.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists per night.

Nurkic, a third-year big man, began the year as a starter but was moved to the bench after a twin towers approach with Nikola Jokic was deemed a failure. He played in 45 games, starting 29, and was averaging 8.0 points and 5.8 rebounds per contest. Denver exercised his team option for 2017/18 in October.

Western Notes: Williams, LaVine, Plumlee, Afflalo

February 12th, 2017 at 10:47pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle did not hesitate to insert veteran point guard Deron Williams into the starting lineup despite the emergence of rookie Yogi Ferrell, Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com reports. Carlisle called Williams “a better player” than Ferrell, adding that Williams was “playing at close to All-Star caliber” before a toe injury sidelined him for eight games, MacMahon adds. Williams played 16 minutes in a blowout victory over the Magic on Saturday night, contributed seven points, four assists and three steals. Ferrell, who earned a two-year contract while filling in for Williams, played 32 minutes off the bench with Williams on a minutes restriction.

In other news around the Western Conference:

Timberwolves shooting guard Zach LaVine will undergo surgery to reconstruct the torn ACL in his left knee on Tuesday, according to a league press release. Lavine, who suffered the season-ending injury driving to the basket against the Pistons on Friday, February 3rd, was averaging 18.9 PPG and 3.0 APG. Brandon Rush and Shabazz Muhammad have shared the shooting guard spot since LaVine was sidelined.
The Nuggets got the better of the pending trade with the Blazers, Ben Golliver of SI.com opines. While it’s unlikely that the pairing of Nikola Jokic and Mason Plumlee would work defensively, it gives Denver coach Michael Malone the ability to establish a clear offensive identity across his rotations if Plumlee is used in a backup role, Golliver continues. The Blazers were smart to get something now for Plumlee, who will become a restricted free agent, before he became too expensive to keep but the return of Jusuf Nurkic and a first-rounder the Grizzlies owed the Nuggets was modest, Golliver adds.
Kings guard Arron Afflalo is getting some minutes at point guard due to injuries, Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee writes. Afflalo has not played the point since high school but is unfazed by the situation, Jones adds. “It’s not really that much different; it’s just making sure the team gets into a play, into a set,” Afflalo told Jones. “I’m pretty familiar with the sets, and a lot of our spots are interchangeable.”

Northwest Notes: Aldrich, Westbrook, Plumlee, Hood

February 12th, 2017 at 6:17pm CST by Milo Taibi

Cole Aldrich, who signed a three-year, $22MM deal with the Wolves over the summer, was brought in to be a veteran mentor to the younger guys on the team and he’s enjoying his role, as he tells Michael Rand of The StarTribune. “Well, with [Jordan Hill], myself, [Brandon Rush] and we had John Lucas earlier in the year, it’s fun to have those guys and the young guys,” Aldrich said. “The teams we were on last year, we were all on older teams, playoff teams. Being able to bring our experience from those teams to a younger group of guys has been a lot of fun.”

Northwest Notes: Jokic, Sanders, Grant

February 5th, 2017 at 10:28pm CST by Austin Kent

The Nuggets have a stockpile of young, promising assets but make no mistake, Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post writes, Nikola Jokic is their budding star. The second-year big man was shifted into the final spot of the team’s pregame starting lineup routine several weeks ago and hasn’t been able to duck out of the spotlight since.

While Jokic’s traditional numbers have improved dramatically since the Nuggets formally slid him back ahead of Jusuf Nurkic on the depth chart, his impact on the team’s overall offensive rating is significant, too. In 11 January contests, Jokic averaged 23.9 points, 11.1 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. When he’s on the court, Dempsey explains, the team’s offensive rating is 11 points higher.

Of course now that the Nuggets have pinpointed Jokic as the foundation on which they’ll build their future not everybody in the locker room is pleased with where things are headed. In his own piece for the Denver Post, Mark Kiszla writes that certain players are pouting now that things haven’t worked out in their favor.

Nurkic, Wilson Chandler and Danilo Gallinari are three players who Kiszla suggests need to think long and hard about whether they want to be in Denver long-term. He adds that their attitudes are not conducive to winning, which a Nuggets team in the hunt for a playoff spot ought to take into consideration as the February 23 trade deadline approaches.

That’s not all out of the Northwest Division:

While the Jazz have gotten their fair share of attention as an emerging Western Conference threat, one player that hasn’t gotten the recognition he probably deserves is Joe Johnson. “It’s almost like we forget about Joe — or you guys do — until he does something great,” head coach Quin Snyder tells Jody Genessy of the Deseret News. The 35-year-old was brought board with a two-year deal to provide experience on a young roster. Utah currently sits fourth in the West with a 32-19 record.
The Trail Blazers have no interest in adding big man Larry Sanders, tweets Jason Quick of CSN Northwest. The team is too close to the tax line to take on any addition salary. Sanders, who seeks to return to the league after abruptly retiring in 2015, is making his rounds working out with various franchises in need of a big man.
Retired forward Harvey Grant sees similarities between his first few years in the league and his son’s. Jerami Grant is in his third NBA season but just his first with the Thunder. “He reminds me so much of me,” the elder Grant told Brett Dawson of the Oklahoman. “It took me about three years to really get where I wanted to get, and once I scratched that surface, I just took off.“

Community Shootaround: Denver’s Trade Chips

February 5th, 2017 at 2:44pm CST by Milo Taibi

Despite a 22-28 record, the Nuggets find themselves within striking distance of a playoff spot in the Western Conference. Staked to a half-game lead in the eighth seed, Denver has outperformed expectations behind a breakout season from Nikola Jokic.

As Mark Kiszla pointed out in a Denver Post column, the Nuggets have a decision to make: pursue a No. 7 or 8 seed, or sell off their assets by the trade deadline? Wilson Chandler has been critical of his role (or occasional lack thereof) under coach Michael Malone, making him a logical trade candidate.

Malone firmly denied Emmanuel Mudiay‘s availability via trade, but several Nuggets remain viable trade chips; particularly Danilo Gallinari and Jusuf Nurkic. As of late January, Nurkic was rumored to be available in a package deal with veteran forward Kenneth Faried.

We know Nuggets GM Tim Connelly has a history of trade deadline activity; here’s what we want to know as February 23rd approaches…

Who would you like to see the Nuggets shop at the deadline? Would it be worthwhile for Connelly to keep his team intact while pursuing a playoff spot? Which team would be the most logical destination for Chandler?

Let us know in the comments section!

Nuggets Notes: Mudiay, O’Bryant, Williams, Nurkic

January 26th, 2017 at 10:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Nuggets coach Michael Malone isn’t concerned about point guard Emmanuel Mudiay’s sore back, Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post reports. Mudiay has missed three consecutive games but Malone doesn’t believe Mudiay will be sidelined much longer. “The treatment he’s been getting has been helping him, and all of the results from the testing coming back don’t show that there’s anything serious,” he told Dempsey. “So, that allows you to take a deep breath and say it’s not a long-term thing.”

In other developments regarding the Nuggets:

Forward Johnny O’Bryant received a 10-day contract on Thursday because the club needs frontcourt depth in the short term, Dempsey adds in the same story. Darrell Arthur, who has a knee issue, is among the big men who are nursing injuries, Dempsey adds. “I was talking to [Nuggets GM] Tim Connelly that it would be great to have another big here, ready, insurance,” Malone said to Dempsey. “If we have to play him and suit him up, he’s played in an NBA game, he has a skill – he can step out and shoot the ball.”
Guard Mo Williams has cleared waivers, Marc Stein of ESPN.com tweets. The Nuggets claimed him for the second time on Monday because of salary floor implications. Denver will save over $1MM through its latest Williams transaction (Twitter links).
The Nuggets are trying to move center Jusuf Nurkic and could package him with Kenneth Faried to upgrade their backcourt, Sean Deveney of the Sporting News reports. Nurkic has drawn interest, in part because of his rookie contract, Deveney continues. But the Nuggets would either have to make it a multi-player swap, find a team below the cap, or involve a third team to make a trade work, Deveney adds.

Northwest Notes: Barton, Nurkic, Lillard, Rubio

January 24th, 2017 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nuggets had been viewed as a potential seller at this season’s trade deadline, but with the race for the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference wide open, the team’s approach to the trade market is a little less clear, writes Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post. It’s the first time in several years that Denver hasn’t headed into the trade deadline with a singular mindset, as Dempsey details.

Still, there are players on the Nuggets’ roster that could appeal to other teams as the deadline nears. Will Barton is one of those players, and Dempsey suggests Denver would have “no problem” landing a first-round pick for Barton. However, he has expressed interest in remaining with the Nuggets, and the team seems committed to keeping him.

The Nuggets are more amenable to a trade involving Jusuf Nurkic, since he hasn’t been thrilled with his role – or lack thereof – this season. According to Dempsey, Denver is “most certainly” seeking a first-round pick in a deal involving Nurkic, though realistically it would have to be a late first-rounder.

As Denver continues to weigh its options, here’s more from around the Northwest:

In a Q&A with Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype, Damian Lillard reaffirms his love for Portland, suggesting that he’d like to stick with the Trail Blazers for his entire career, if possible. “Obviously, with this being a business, people’s feelings change about players. And players’ feelings change about organizations,” Lillard said. “I don’t think mine will, though, because I really like where I am and where I live and stuff like that. But you just never know.”
Michael Rand of The Star Tribune proposes five realistic Ricky Rubio trade scenarios for the Timberwolves, including one involving Nurkic and the Nuggets.
Raul Neto, who has received several DNP-CDs this season, has been more involved the Jazz rotation lately, playing ahead of Shelvin Mack and sometimes Dante Exum, writes Mike Sorensen of The Deseret News. Neto has a non-guaranteed salary for 2017/18, so his play this year may determine whether he sticks with the team for another year.

Stein’s Latest: Nurkic, Millsap, Gay, Tucker

January 20th, 2017 at 10:58am CST by Arthur Hill

The latest column from ESPN.com’s Marc Stein is filled with fresh rumors as next month’s trade deadline approaches. We’ve already shared the Bulls’ interest in Chris Bosh and the Magic’s offer for Goran Dragic. Here are some more intriguing trade tidbits:

Nuggets big man Jusuf Nurkic is almost certain to be traded before the February 23rd deadline. Denver officials admitted that pairing Nurkic with Nikola Jokic didn’t work, and they want to ship him to a team where he has a chance to be a starting center.
Teams are very skeptical about the Hawks‘ assertion that All-Star forward Paul Millsap has been pulled from trade consideration. The 31-year-old has a player option worth nearly $21.5MM for next season and is expected to test the free agent market.
The Kings had numerous offers for Rudy Gay, mostly during the offseason but also more recently, but elected to keep him in hopes of earning a playoff spot. The Thunder, Heat and Blazers were the most interested teams last summer. Gay is out for the season after tearing an Achilles tendon Wednesday night.
The Kings would like to find teams willing to take Ben McLemore and Arron Afflalo.
The Clippers offered the Suns a future second-round pick for P.J. Tucker, but Phoenix is holding out for a first-rounder. The Clippers owe their first-round pick this year to Toronto and in 2019 to Boston, so the next first-rounder they could offer would be in 2021.
Tucker and Brandon Knight are considered the most available Suns. Coach Earl Watson said this week that the team will not trade veteran center Tyson Chandler.
The Nuggets would like to sign Alonzo Gee to another 10-day contract once Mo Williams clears waivers. Gee’s first 10-day contract expired Wednesday, the same day Williams was waived after being acquired in a trade with the Hawks.