Predicting the 2022 Portland Trail Blazers Lineups
By Nathan Smith
5. Center: Jusuf Nurkic
Jusuf Nurkic should be considered one of the most underrated players in the NBA, as he is considered a walking double-double who can play on both sides of the ball, and with more offensive weapons around him, he should be able to elevate his game to another level. Nurkic has improved his offensive game a lot over the past few years, but with limited defensive potential in this starting lineup, he will have to anchor this team and bring a physical presence, and while this may limit him somewhat as a scorer, the team has plenty of shooting already.
Most teams in the NBA in 2022 are searching for a big that stretches the floor consistently, and while Nurkic has potential from the outside, he is more of a consistent force on the inside, and if he can be better from beyond the arc, this could become one of the best shooting lineups in the league. The team just re-signed Nurkic to a 4-year, $70 million deal, and given his competitive fire and leadership around the franchise, he’ll be a key piece in 2022 in deciding whether this team will go on a deep run, or be locked in for a lottery pick.