Jusuf Nurkic Casts Doubt on Blazers Future After 1st-Round Exit: 'I Don't Know Yet'

Portland Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic said he's not sure whether he'll return to the team next season after the Blazers were eliminated from the 2021 NBA playoffs by the Denver Nuggets in the first round Thursday night.

"In the right situation, yes," Nurkic told reporters when asked if he wanted to stay in Portland. "We'll see. I don't know yet. Because this is not it."

The 2014 first-round pick has spent the past four-plus seasons with the Blazers after starting his career with the Nuggets. His four-year, $48 million contract has a $12 million base salary for 2021-22 but only $4 million is guaranteed, with a decision about whether to make it fully guaranteed due by Aug. 3, per Spotrac.

Nurkic, who tallied 13 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two blocks in the team's season-ending Game 6 loss to Denver, said "I'm not sure if I'm coming back or what the direction is."

"I've got a non-guaranteed. I don't know if I'll be back," the 6'11'' post player said. "So I'm going to leave that to Rich Paul, my agent. We'll see what is going to happen. As far as right now, I'm just going to get away from basketball and see what my next steps should be. We'll see what's going to happen."

The Blazers made it to the Western Conference finals at the end of the 2018-19 season, which made it appear the group led by Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum was on the verge of a major breakthrough, but that hasn't happened. They've now been knocked out of the playoffs in the first round in the two years since.

Along with the decision on Nurkic's contract, the Blazers have four unrestricted free agents (Carmelo Anthony, Enes Kanter, Harry Giles and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson), two rotation members with players' options (Norman Powell and Derrick Jones Jr.) and a restricted free agent in Zach Collins.

So while the core of Lillard and McCollum is fully expected to remain in place, the roster around them could look a lot different by the time the 2021-22 campaign tips off. The other option is for the front office to retain as many players as possible and hope a few minor tweaks leads to better results.

Nurkic, who averaged 11.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.1 blocks across 37 appearances during the regular season, has battled injury issues throughout his career, but he's been productive when healthy.

The 26-year-old Bosnian figures to attract ample interest either on the trade market or in free agency if the Blazers ultimately opt against guaranteeing his salary.