Re-Drafting the 2014 NBA Draft

Jusuf Nurkic. 15. player. 125. <p><strong>Original pick: Adreian Payne</strong></p> <p>If this re-boot was performed a year ago, Jusuf Nurkic would have been higher. Now, this might seem high in itself.</p> <p>It is important to realize that Nurkic will begin the 2016-2017 season as a 22-year-old and, as such, there is <em>plenty</em> of room for the big man to grow. Beyond that, Nurkic had a very nice rookie season in 2014-2015, appearing in 62 games and putting up numbers to the tune of 13.9 points, 12.5 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per-36 minutes. Then, his sophomore campaign happened.</p> <p>Nurkic had serious trouble staying on the floor during the 2015-2016 season, appearing in only 32 games and making only three starts for the Nuggets. The advancement of Nikola Jokic certainly did not help Nurkic’s status among Denver’s depth chart, but even when the big man played, his offensive efficiency slowed and durability questions persisted.</p> <p>On the bright side, Nurkic has two seasons with an NBA-average PER and as a rim protector, he has shown real flashes. On the more pessimistic side, he isn’t an elite athlete by any stretch and traditional, plodding centers are often overlooked in today’s NBA landscape.</p> <p>I am still a fan of Nurkic, but if he struggles in year three, sound the alarm.</p>. C. Bosnia and Herzegovina