Jusuf Nurkic won't suit up for another game for the Utah Jazz this season. The Jazz center will undergo a season-ending procedure on his nose, which helps the Jazz's tanking effort. However, given that Nurkic is in a contract year and that he likely could have had this surgery once the regular season ends, this all points to one conclusion: Nurkic will stick around in Utah.
Utah was already using shady tactics involving Nurkic to help with their tank, i.e., benching him in multiple fourth quarters. In fact, because that was where the season was headed, many wondered what their plans were with Nurkic, given that he was in a contract year.
Would Nurkic really agree to something like this with his long-term future up in the air once his contract is up in April? The fewer games he plays, the harder it is to see him getting the most money he can on the open market, so why bow out early?
The only way he would is if he and the Jazz already have an understanding that they will agree to a new deal this offseason. Nurkic probably anticipated he wouldn't see the same kind of money he's been getting paid for the last several years, but his play has been impressive enough to warrant a contract worth more than the veteran's minimum.
His skills have diminished, but he proved this season that the gas in his tank is far from empty. With Walker Kessler presumably coming back, he'd be relegated to more of a backup big man, but there's a fair case that it's where he belongs.
How will the Jazz work this out?
The Jazz were in line to be a cap space team before the Jaren Jackson Jr. trade happened. Not only will he be on their payroll for the next several years, but he'll getting paid around $50 million for the next four seasons.
Yes, that takes a good chunk out of the Jazz's cap space, but they are still within range to keep Kessler, which is what they intend to do on the most team-friendly deal possible. However, even if they succeed with that endeavor, he won't be inexpensive.
Not to mention the Jazz must think about Keyonte George's pending extension. Anyway, the buzz around Nurkic is that the Jazz want to keep him, and the feeling is mutual. However, he has played well enough to get a few extra dollars this offseason.
The NBA's luxury tax and tax aprons makes it so that the Jazz can's simply spend money willy-nilly. Nurkic has earned his long-term spot in Utah, and while he won't be given another four-year, $70 million deal, the Jazz will likely have to find the middle ground between that and the veteran's minimum to keep this union going.