Fansided

5 biggest surprises of the 2016-17 NBA season

By John Buhler

Mar 24, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets head coach Mike D'Antoni points towards guard James Harden (13) after a play during the fourth quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 24, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets head coach Mike D'Antoni points towards guard James Harden (13) after a play during the fourth quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 3, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets center Jusuf Nurkic (23) knocks the ball away from Portland Trail Blazers center Mason Plumlee (24) in the first half at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 3, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets center Jusuf Nurkic (23) knocks the ball away from Portland Trail Blazers center Mason Plumlee (24) in the first half at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /

4. The Jusuf Nurkic/Mason Plumlee trade

Of all the trades that occurred before the deadline, the one that seems to have grown a peculiar pair of legs is the Mason Plumlee for Jusuf Nurkic trade, between the Portland Trail Blazers and the Denver Nuggets. Plumlee, a 2018 second-round pick and cash considerations went to Denver with Nurkic and the rights to the Memphis Grizzlies’ first-round pick in the 2017 NBA Draft going to Portland.

At the time of this trade, Denver had emerged as the presumptive favorite to get the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference Playoffs. The Nuggets held on to that No. 8 spot for nearly two months. They had a young corps centered around second-year center Nikola Jokic. He’s a candidate for NBA’s Most Improved Player and projects as multi-time All-Star like the third Gasol Brother.

The problem was that Jokic’s ascendance to near-stardom buried Nurkic on the Nuggets bench. Keep in mind that Nurkic was a former first-round pick by the Chicago Bulls in the 2014 NBA Draft. He came to Denver in the draft day deal involving small forward Doug McDermott.

At first, this move looked to be a way for Nuggets general manager Tim Connelly to clear up a frontcourt log jam with his playoff bound team. The though was that Plumlee would play better alongside Jokic than Nurkic ever would. Little did he know what was about to happen.

Nurkic for about a six-week period became a godsend in the Portland frontcourt. The Blazers went on a tear in late February to early March, eclipsing Denver in the Northwest Division standings and becoming the new front-runner for the No. 8 seed. Nurkic may be sidelined for the rest of the regular season, but he’s landed in the best situation possible for him.

What was thought to be a salary dump by Denver turned into Portland’s good fortune: a stud in the frontcourt, a playoff berth, and a first-round pick from a division rival. Portland general manager Neil Olshey completed fleeced Connelly and the whole NBA knows it.

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