Portland Trail Blazers: Jusuf Nurkic needs to end the season strong

Ending the season strong is important for the future of Nurkic

During this winning streak for the Blazers, Nurkic has played better and been the player the Blazers need. He has been averaging 14.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.1 blocks per game.

Against the Miami Heat, the Bosnian Beast reappeared. He put up 27 points on 12-of-18 shooting, grabbed 16 rebounds, blocked three shots and dished out three assists in 30 minutes of action. This was his best game of the season and he reminded everyone what he is capable of when he is locked in.

If Nurkic can play like he did against the Heat and helps the Blazers win games and advance in the playoffs, the Blazers should have no issue paying the 23-year-old long-term money. But if his inconsistent play reappears, his future in Portland could be in question the next few seasons.

I don’t think the Blazers want to move on from Nurkic and think they would like to see him in Portland long-term. He is a good player with a ton of promise. He plays well with the stars on the team. General manager Neil Olshey will probably try to get Nurkic at a discounted price.

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These last 14 games for very important for the Blazers and their playoff seeding, but they are just as important to the future for The Bosnian Beast. The Blazers are in win-now mode with Lillard and McCollum leading this team on an 11-game win streak, and the Blazers front office cannot afford to waste their prime years to see if Nurkic can figure it out.