As the Golden State Warriors search for a solution to their positional need at center this offseason, multiple players have been floated as possible fits for the team either through free agency or through the trade market.
However, one player that could soon become available through a buyout, veteran center Jusuf Nurkic, should not be considered a potential answer for the organization.
At 30 years old, Nurkic would be an exceedingly cheap option to take over some rebounding and bench scoring duties for Golden State, but his lack of offensive impact and questionable bill of health means that the franchise should steer well clear of any temptation to bring the player in.
Jusuf Nurkic is not the answer at center for the Warriors
Nurkic, who is set to play with his fifth organization this upcoming season, was traded twice in the past year: once from the Phoenix Suns to the Charlotte Hornets as a salary dump and again to the Utah Jazz in the Collin Sexton trade.
Through 51 games between Phoenix and Charlotte, Nurkic averaged 8.9 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists, playing a more limited role upon his trade to the Hornets.
However, the Jazz have shown a strong desire to move on from any veterans on their roster this offseason, having already traded Sexton and John Collins, and, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN, Nurkic could very easily be the next player on the chopping block.
Windhorst, on The Hoop Collective, said that he would "be quite surprised if [Nurkic] finishes the season [in Utah]."
With their recent flurry of moves, the Jazz have become a salary cap team, and, by buying out the final year of Nurkic's four-year, $70 million contract, Utah could free up even more space to help build around their young core.
With his contract expiring after this upcoming season, Nurkic could also be a useful trade asset if the Jazz were able to convince another cap team to take over his salary.
However, although Nurkic would likely come cheap to any team that decides to sign him following a buyout, it is important that the Warriors stay far away.
Nurkic has only played more than 60 games in a season once since 2019-20, and, despite his large frame and defensive impact, is no longer an impactful scorer at this point in his career.
In order to offset the developmental issues of Quinten Post, Golden State needs a center who they can trust to start in the postseason if necessary, and, despite Nurkic's veteran pedigree, there are too many questions surrounding what he has left in the tank for him to be a viable solution for the franchise.