Jusuf Nurkic is at a crossroads in his career. The Portland Trail Blazers big man is one of the most dominant big men in the NBA when he’s at his best, but injuries, fitness, and then inconsistencies have meant fans of the team have only this sporadically.
Nurk has only played 56 games in the last two seasons including two playoff runs. The broken leg injury he suffered in the 2018/19 season kept him out until the NBA Bubble in 2020, as the season was paused just as he was about to debut that year.
Then last year, he had personal issues back in Europe with his grandmother passing away, and his initial fitness being impacted by not being able to have a full pre-season. His 2021 season was up and down, but he just started to get rolling in January when he broke his arm in a freak accident as he grabbed a rebound. Nurk has a history of lower leg injuries, so to see him have an injury elsewhere was tough for fans.
He came back last year after the broken arm injury though and had some big games at the end of the season as he helped the Blazers secure the sixth seed. Averaging 13 and 10 with almost 4 assists on over 50 percent from the field in the last two months of the year showed just how valuable he is to this Blazer team.
In the playoffs, Nurk actually had a good series from an efficiency standpoint, but as a defender, he fouled out in multiple games and was pretty inconsistent. The Blazers weak defense needed Nurk. but he just wasn’t able to stay on the court in key moments.
Here are 3 reasons why the next season is so vital for Jusuf Nurkic
Reason #1 – he is a free agent in 2022
Jusuf Nurkic has made over $50 million in his NBA career so far, but, he has a chance to earn life-changing money in another big value contract next season. Though he hasn’t been healthy the last two seasons, his production and value for the Blazers when he has played has been undeniable.
$12 million per season was starting big money when he signed that deal three years ago, but Nurkic can get between $13 and $20 million per year if he can stay healthy all year, and show that he is a starting big on a good team.
Nurk has had massive games before on the biggest stage, and if shows more consistency, he can get a deal that is deserving of a top 15 center in the NBA.
If Nurk wants to make life-changing money in 2022, then this year has to be his year.
Reason #3 – the Blazers are at a pivotal stage as a team
Not only is this a huge year for Nurk, but for the current crop of players on this Blazer team, this year is so big for them too. Countless first-round exits have pushed Damian Lillard to the edge, and a major trade or a full breakup of the team could be on the horizon if they continue to disappoint in the post-season.
If Nurk can be the two-way dominant force that we’ve seen in flashes over the last four years, the Blazers have a higher ceiling as a team. The Blazers don’t have many plus defenders on this team, but Nurk can make a difference. He can get a big deal on this Blazers team in the future if he can help them have a big season in 2022. He can help keep Lillard in Portland while also securing his future.
Reason #3 – He needs to show he can perform at a high level in the playoffs
Nurk’s playoff performances over the last four seasons show some inconsistencies in his play on both ends. Injured in his first year in Portland, he only played one game. In 2018 he had a smaller role as the Blazers were swept, and then in 2020, his fitness failed him in the bubble after the Blazers had no backup big to help him.
In 2021, he actually showed some great things on offense, including 16 and 17 points in the two wins to go with six total assists. But, in three of the four games that the Blazers lost, he fouled out.
Obviously, Nikola Jokic is a tough guard, but Nurk’s inability to limit his fouls was a big reason the Blazers lost this series. Nurk does play well often against Jokic and can get him into foul trouble too. Nurkic has never really had a dominant playoffs like we’ve seen him do at times in the regular season. This season, we need to see him show that he can play at that level.
Jusuf Nurkic is such a key piece for this team, but he needs to put it all on the floor this season to secure his, and the Blazers future.