Portland Trail Blazers: 3 reasons Jusuf Nurkic contract is a good one

3. Value for both sides

Even before bringing Nurkic back, the Blazers were already over the salary cap for the 2018-19 season. They needed to bring Nurkic back on a deal that did not absolutely kill their books. That’s why it seemed like a good idea for Portland to just wait for Nurkic to accept his $4.8 million qualifying offer. They then would have had another season to see what he can do while playing on a cheap contract.

Portland opted to pay Nurkic $12 million a year for four years. Getting Nurkic for only $12 million a year could end up being a steal for Portland. At a couple of points while in a Blazers uniform, it seemed like they would have to pay Nurkic upwards of $15-$17 million a year. But because of his inconsistent play toward the end of the last year, the Blazers get him for less than they thought.

According to ESPN, Nurkic turned down a more “lucrative four-year deal several months ago.”

That $12 million a year may not be the number Nurkic was looking for, but it’s still a solid deal, and he will be 27 when he hits the market again. Before signing his new contract, Nurkic had only made a total of $8.4 million in his four NBA seasons. He now will be playing for more guaranteed money and will have the security of a four-year deal.

Nurkic probably did not want to go another season playing on a cheap contract with so much uncertainty in his future, so this deal is a win for both sides.