National Basketball Association

Trade Proposal: Josef Nurkic to Raptors?

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 10:59 p.m. ET

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Fansided, Brian Boake/FanSided via Raptors Rapture

I’m one who thinks you can never have too many big men, even in the pace and space era. Here’s a trade to beef up our frontcourt.

If ESPN’s Marc Stein is to be believed, young center/power forward Josef Nurkic is on the trading block. The beefy Bosnian has been out of the Denver Nuggets’ rotation for several weeks, during which his minutes have been absorbed by Nikola Jokic and Kenneth Faried. The Nuggets have been on a nice roll, so much so they currently occupy the Western Conference’s eighth seed. In short, Nurkic’s departure is certainly plausible.

That’s all very interesting, but why should fans of the Toronto Raptors care? Players fail all the time. True, but let’s at least consider what he might do in Raptors red. I see little point in creating trade proposals for unattainable bodies. (“Hey Brian, let’s trade for Steph Curry! We’d be a better team if we had him!” “Yes we would, and thanks for pointing that out.”)

Tell us more

Nurkic is 22, stands 7 feet tall and weighs 280 pounds. Unlike a lot of European big men, he shows no capability of shooting from outside; he’s attempted five 3-balls since joining the NBA in the 2014-15 season, and missed them all. I’d be interested in seeing the Raptors add a stretch-4 or -5, but this isn’t the guy.

Josef has started 56 games in his career, and has 12 double-doubles. That stat alone is a lazy man’s way of seeing why he’s been dropped by Denver. But should so young a giant be written off? I’ve long believed, and I’m not alone in this, that big men mature later than more normal-sized people. He has a PER of 16.2, which is plenty respectable on a team below .500.

Oct 14, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Toronto Raptors forward Bruno Caboclo (20) and San Lorenzo forward Gabriel Deck (14) battle for position during the fourth quarter at Rogers Centre. Raptors won 122-105. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-USA TODAY Sports

Let’s consider Lucas Nogueira, who’s 24. Bebe was drafted by Boston at #16 in 2013, the same spot Nurkic was picked by Chicago the next draft. Nogueira’s career was non-existent until this season, but the Raptors stuck with him, and he’s starting to pay a healthy return on investment.

Nurkic’s other appeal is his relatively low cost. He’s still on his rookie-scale contract.

Here’s the trade

Raptors get C/PF Josef Nurkic

For those who think I’m arguing against myself when I suggest trading the youthful Bruno, I’ll say this: I’ve seen him in practices, in D-League games, and oh-so-rarely on the floor as a Raptor. If there’s an NBA player hiding inside, I’ve missed him. He’s slow of foot, not a rebounder, and a disappointing shooter from outside.

From the Nuggets perspective, they add a project player, which doesn’t hurt them as Nurkic was benched anyway. They also receive the fig-leaf of a mid-twenties draft pick, perhaps the later of the Raptors’ pair.

For the Raptors, we receive a player whose career is certainly in jeopardy but he’s at least proven he has some value. He’s versatile enough to play two front court spots, thus providing insurance in case one of our bigs turns an ankle. As for the draft pick – who cares? The Raptors have young players dangling from the rafters. Does adding two more late in this year’s draft really help our cause? Toronto needs to win now.

The money, which is trivial, works.

I’d do this deal. Toronto gets a rebounder and shot-changer for virtually nothing. When the playoffs roll around, and the play gets low-scoring and dirty, having a Nurkic on hand could be of great value.

What do you think, Rapture Nation?

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