Nuggets, Trail Blazers trade Jusuf Nurkic, Mason Plumlee
InsideHoops.com
February 13, 2017
The Denver Nuggets have acquired center Mason Plumlee, a 2018 second round draft pick and cash consideration from Portland in exchange for center Jusuf Nurkic and a 2017 protected first round pick via Memphis, General Manager and Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly announced today.
“We are pleased to add a young center with Jusuf’s talent and potential to our roster and excited by the prospect of three first round picks in the 2017 NBA Draft,” said Trail Blazers president of basketball operations Neil Olshey. “We also want to thank Mason for his many contributions to the organization these past two seasons. His presence will be missed and we wish him all the best for the future.”
Plumlee, 6-11, 245, appeared in 54 games for Portland this season, averaging 11.1 points, 8.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 28.1 minutes per game. Over four seasons, Plumlee has appeared in 288 career games (203 starts) for Brooklyn and Portland, averaging 9.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 23.0 minutes per game.
The 26-year-old played a key role in Portland’s playoff run last season, starting all 11 games and averaging 7.0 points, 11.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 27.8 minutes per game. The Duke University product also won a Gold Medal with Team USA alongside Nuggets Forward Kenneth Faried at the FIBA World Cup in 2014. The Indiana native was drafted by Brooklyn with the 22nd overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft.
Plumlee will wear #24 and the Nuggets roster currently stands at 15 players.
Nurkic (7-0, 280) has averaged 7.5 points (45.8% FG), 5.9 rebounds and 1.06 blocked shots in 139 career games (59 starts) over three NBA seasons with the Nuggets. The 22-year-old is shooting a career-best 50.7% (8.0 ppg), and has scored in double figures 17 times in 45 games (29 starts) this season. Nurkic was originally selected by the Chicago Bulls with the 16th overall pick in the first round of the 2014 NBA Draft, before being sent to Denver in a draft night deal.
According to the Oregonian, "Nurkic, 22, is unlikely to play Monday night when the Blazers host the Atlanta Hawks. So before he dons his new No. 27 Blazers jersey, here's what you need to know about the Blazers' new big man. First off, he certainly is big. "The Bosnian Beast" or "Bosnian Bear," depending on your preferred nickname, is listed at 7-feet, 280-pounds. Nurkic provides a significantly bigger body than the rest of the Blazers' frontcourt options. Not surprisingly, that big body runs in the family as Nurkic's father is a 7-foot, nearly 400-pound policeman in Nurkic's hometown of Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina."
With the addition of Memphis’ 2017 first round selection, the Trail Blazers currently have three first round picks in the upcoming 2017 NBA Draft.
