One of the best big men in this summer’s free agency is off the board. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Jusuf Nurkic has agreed to stay with the Portland Trail Blazers for four more years via a $48 million deal.
Deal includes partial guarantee in 4th year, source says. https://t.co/p5tUmxnhGD
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 7, 2018
By agreeing to the deal, Nurkic made it very clear that he has no interest in trying his luck in the free agent market next season when teams have more money to splurge, unlike this year when several of them either have near maxed-out cap spaces or are flirting with the tax threshold level.
Nurkic had the option to sign a one-year qualifying offer with the Blazers worth only $4.7 million, but obviously decided to stay in Portland for the long haul.
Nurkic’s deal along with an earlier inking of Gary Trent Jr. will push the Blazers’ salary commitments to above the luxury tax level of $123.73 million.
Wojnarowski adds that the last year of Nurkic’s deal is partially guaranteed, meaning he’ll still earn the money but it’s possible that the center may not be granted a roster spot beyond the training camp.
Nurkic, 23, turned down a more lucrative four-year deal several months ago, but the marketplace has tightened and he chose to take this deal on Friday, sources said. The deal includes a partial guarantee in the fourth year.
Last season, Jusuf Nurkic played 79 games for the Blazers, averaging 14.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks in 26.4 minutes. He came over to Portland in 2017 when he was dealt to the Blazers by the Denver Nuggets together with a future pick for Mason Plumlee and 2018 second-round selection.
Follow Us
Subscribe