Blazers and Jusuf Nurkic Agree to 4-Year, $70 Million Pact
The Portland Trail Blazers couldn’t picture life without Jusuf Nurkic. According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the Northwest Division basement dwellers re-signed their starting center to a four-year $70-million contract. The deal keeps Nurkic with the team through the 2025-26 season.
Free agent C Jusuf Nurkic has agreed on a new four-year, $70 million deal to stay with the Portland Trail Blazers, @KlutchSports CEO Rich Paul tells ESPN. pic.twitter.com/6vmHrdOZI3
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022
The signing comes as a bit of a gamble, as the Bosnian big man has been limited to just 101 games over the past three seasons due to various ailments. Still, Nurkic has been an imposing presence on the court, averaging 13.9 points and 10.2 rebounds per game over that three-year sample.
The 2021-22 campaign was a banner year for Nurkic, with the former 16th overall selection setting a career-high with 11.1 rebounds per game and surpassing his career average of 12.2 points with 15.0.
The signing isn’t going to move the Trail Blazers off their steep price in the futures market. After last season’s disappointing 27-55 showing, FanDuel Sportsbook has Portland listed as +9000 longshots on the NBA Championship board.
