Utah Jazz Veteran Emerging as Trade Target for Rival Teams

While it’s a bit early in the NBA season to see trades flying around the league between teams, it’s certainly not too early for rumors to float around circling a select few names to keep an eye on.

And when taking a glance at the current trade landscape of early candidates who could be moved, the Utah Jazz might have a veteran on the roster who will find his way to a bit of interest on the market: big man Jusuf Nurkic.

According to NBA insider Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, Nurkic is among a select group of veteran bigs around the league who have been pinned to have some expected trade interest, largely due to his expiring contract on the books.

“Jusuf Nurkić, meanwhile, has performed well enough in Utah that he’s also expected to generate some interest from rival teams as he plays out his own $19.3 million expiring deal.”

Jusuf Nurkic Linked as Early Trade Target for Rival Teams

Nurkic, who’s filled in as Utah’s starting center while Walker Kessler has been sidelined with his season-ending shoulder surgery, has filled into an established role within the Jazz’s frontcourt across the first month of the year.

During his time in Utah since being traded from the Charlotte Hornets this past summer, he’s played in 17 games with just over 24 minutes a night to average 7.5 points, a team-leading 9.6 rebounds, and 3.5 assists a night while shooting 42.4% from the field.

With his talents being put on full display with an expansive sample size, that could lead to a few opposing general managers taking notice to ring the Jazz to see what a potential deal may look like to upgrade their big depth; adding someone without a long-term commitment, and likely wouldn’t cost much in a deal to land him either.

In the event the Jazz were able to land a smaller asset in return like a future second rounder, or perhaps even a trade exception to utilize down the line for a bigger move, similar to Utah’s offseason trade involving John Collins, that could be enough to sway them to ship out an expiring deal like Nurkic, but it remains to be seen exactly how his value shakes out.

Until the deadline creeps a bit closer in a few months, expect Nurkic to continue to be cemented in his role as the Jazz’s starting five-man in place of Kessler. But if an opposing team makes a compelling offer to Austin Ainge and Utah’s front office down the line, it seems a mid-season deal could very well be in play.

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