Jusuf Nurkic, Anfernee Simons to remain with Blazers?

Michael Scotto: A lot of times when a trade is going down in the NBA, it comes down to need and whether there’s a little bit of desperation there. When I look at Portland’s situation, they got Josh Hart. Jusuf Nurkic is going to be a free agent, but there are enough people around the league that believe Nurkic and the Blazers will work out a deal, and he’ll stay there looking ahead towards next season and beyond. If you’re going along with that line of thinking, you’ve got Hart, Nurkic, Lillard. A lot of people around the league also believe Anfernee Simons will remain with the Blazers, and that’s why they made a lot of salary cap-saving moves to ultimately have more room to re-sign him and make another move going forward. Jerami Grant would plug a hole there at the four for them. Given where they’re at trying to compete with Lillard and his timeline, Grant is in the prime of his career at 28.
Source: Michael Scotto @ HoopsHype

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Marc Stein @TheSteinLine
The week in NBA words (so far) …
Quin Snyder is a (Jazz)man in demand: https://t.co/xva8dHQGSG
Travelogue from Cal State @FullertonMBB vs. @DukeMBB: https://t.co/FM0bQhyc4O
A visit with @Anfernee Simons: https://t.co/kYH8Kq4uQt
E-mail signups here: https://t.co/A6ycVmnrjq pic.twitter.com/MoyWJouXxH – 1:00 PM Jason Dumas @JDumasReports
Just in the past couple days I’ve seen KD & Book curse out a fan and Jusuf Nurkic toss a fans cell phone. Earlier in the year Melo had to be restrained from going at a fan. It’s become an issue not many have talked about. We are heading towards another Malice in the Palace. – 12:30 PM Casey Holdahl @CHold
Greg Brown III (left ankle) is probable; Bledsoe (left Achilles), Hart (left knee), Ingles (left knee), Lillard (core muscle), Little (left shoulder), Louzada (left knee), Nurkic (left foot) and Simons (left knee) are out for tonight’s game vs. Spurs. – 1:43 PM Justin Kubatko @jkubatko
Giannis Antetokounmpo last night:
25 PTS
17 REB
5 AST
Antetokounmpo has six career games in which he’s recorded at least 25p/15r/5a in less than 30 minutes played.
The only other player since the ABA-NBA merger to record more than one such game is Jusuf Nurkic (2). pic.twitter.com/0Vhad8gpwx – 9:21 AM Scott Agness @ScottAgness
On Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic, who was in street clothes, confronting a Pacers fan and tossing his phone after Sunday’s game — and what was allegedly shouted his way.
Josh Hart: “… when fans cross that line they need to be held accountable too.”
fieldhousefiles.substack.com/p/geske-nurkic… – 8:06 PM Jamie Hudson @JamieHudson_
Blazers Injury Report:
Greg Brown (left ankle; sprain) is probable; Bledsoe (left Achilles), Hart (left knee), Ingles (left knee), Lillard (core muscle), Little (left shoulder), Louzada (left knee), Nurkic (left foot) & Simons (left knee) are out for tomorrow’s game vs Spurs – 8:02 PM John Schuhmann @johnschuhmann
w/ DEN starters’ recent struggles, Jokic no longer has the biggest on/off NetRtg differential…
1. G. Hill: 14.9
2. Tatum: 14.7
3. Jokic: 14.2
4. Steph Curry: 13.8
5. Kenrich!: 13.5
6. Quickley: 12.4
7. Nurkic: 11.9
8. Antetokounmpo: 10.6
8. Garland: 10.6
10. Embiid: 10.5 – 4:54 PM CBS NBA @CBSSportsNBA
Trail Blazers’ Jusuf Nurkic fined $40,000 by NBA after throwing fan’s phone into stands
cbssports.com/nba/news/trail… – 1:44 PM Chris Haynes @ChrisBHaynes
The fan who Portland Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic confronted in Indiana allegedly shouted “your mom is trash” and said his “grandma’s a b**tch,” league sources tell @YahooSports. Nurkic’s grandma passed away of COVID-19 in 2020. – 1:34 PM Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Jusuf Nurkic fined $40K for snatching and throwing fan’s phone nba.nbcsports.com/2022/03/22/jus… – 12:45 PM Sean Highkin @highkin
There was a fine levied against Nurkic according to a league email – 12:23 PM Casey Holdahl @CHold
NBA announces that Jusuf Nurkic has been fined $40k for “confronting a fan courtside and grabbing the fan’s cell phone and throwing it into the spectator stands” in Indianapolis – 12:20 PM Scott Agness @ScottAgness
Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic was fined $40,000 by the NBA for confronting a Pacers fan courtside and throwing their cell phone.
This happened after the Pacers’ win on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/s9BdzWeaus – 12:19 PM Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Portland’s Jusuf Nurkic has been fined $40,000 for confronting fan and “grabbing the fan’s cell phone and throwing it into the spectator stands” after game in Indiana.
My guess is Nurkic thinks it was worth it. – 12:19 PM Brian Mahoney @briancmahoney
Jusuf Nurkic fined $40,000 by the NBA for grabbing a fan’s cell phone and throwing it into the stands in Indiana. – 12:18 PM Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
The NBA has issued a $40,000 fine to Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic “for confronting a fan courtside and grabbing the fan’s cell phone and throwing it into the spectator stands following Portland’s loss to Indiana on March 20 – 12:18 PM Marc Stein @TheSteinLine
The NBA says Portland’s Jusuf Nurkic has been fined $40,000 for “confronting a fan courtside and grabbing the fan’s cell phone and throwing it into the spectator stands.”
More NBA from me: marcstein.substack.com – 12:17 PM Mike Vorkunov @MikeVorkunov
Jusuf Nurkic got fined $40,000 by the NBA for confronting a fan at courtside… “and grabbing the fan’s cell phone and throwing it into the spectator stands.” – 12:17 PM Jason Anderson @JandersonSacBee
Jusuf Nurkic fined $40,000 for fan confrontation. pic.twitter.com/lsew1wyOhW – 12:17 PM Chris Haynes @ChrisBHaynes
Portland Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic has been fined $40,000 for confronting a fan and tossing his cell phone. – 12:16 PM JD Shaw @JShawNBA
Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic has been fined $40,000 for confronting a fan courtside and grabbing the fan’s cell phone and throwing it into the stands, NBA says. – 12:16 PM Jusuf Nurkic @bosnianbeast27
pic.twitter.com/WcMIHO2hNO – 11:25 PM Aaron J. Fentress @AaronJFentress
Josh Hart is out for Monday at Detroit. Same injury that hit Anfernee Simons.
Patellar tendinopathy.
Hart had been playing great basketball, averaging 28.6 ppg on 50-of-88 shooting (56.7%) over his last 5 games.
#TankingMasterclass – 6:16 PM Jamie Hudson @JamieHudson_
Blazers Injury Report:
Bledsoe (left Achilles), Hart (left knee; patellar tendinopathy), Ingles (left knee), Lillard (core muscle recovery), Little (left shoulder recovery), Louzada (left knee), Nurkic (plantar fasciitis) & Simons (left knee) are out for today’s game at Detroit – 2:40 PM Mike Richman @mikegrich
Josh Hart is out tonight with what the Blazers are calling left knee patellar tendinopathy. The same ailment that is keeping Anfernee Simons out of action for a couple weeks. Hart was not on the injury report prior to today. – 1:15 PM Casey Holdahl @CHold
Eric Bledsoe, Josh Hart, Joe Ingles, Damian Lillard, Nassir Little, Didi Louzada, Jusuf Nurkic and Anfernee Simons are out for today’s game at Detroit. – 1:05 PM

More on this storyline

Elsewhere in Portland, after initial trade conversations, Jusuf Nurkic appears unlikely to be moved, as the veteran center and Trail Blazers brass have mutual interest in agreeing to a new contract this offseason, sources said. -via Bleacher Report / February 8, 2022