Jusuf Nurkic Ruled Out vs. Suns with Concussion Suffered vs. Kings

Portland Trail Blazers big man Jusuf Nurkic suffered a concussion in Monday's preseason game against the Sacramento Kings.

Trail Blazers reporter Casey Holdahl reported the news and noted Nurkic will miss Wednesday's contest against the Phoenix Suns.

Nurkic had been a productive center in his first two-and-a-half years with the Denver Nuggets, but he found a different level when the Blazers acquired him in February. In 20 games with Portland, the 23-year-old averaged 15.2 points and 10.4 rebounds, significantly up from the 7.5 points and 5.9 rebounds he averaged in 139 games for the Nuggets.

Despite his success in Portland, the big question around Nurkic remains whether he can stay healthy for a full season. He missed an average of 29 games in each of his first three years in the NBA.

This injury will do little to allay the fears of Blazers fans about that concern.

In the meantime, the Blazers will look to the combination of Ed Davis and Meyers Leonard to take over at center, while rookie Zach Collins will be an option off the bench as well.