Who is better? Nurkic or Jokic?

That's pretty much it. Jokic is fucking amazing - he really does have Sabonis-level skills. Nurkic is a decent passer but Jokic is one of the best passers in the league. Jokic is also a phenomenal rebounder and has more post skills. But yes, Nurkic is a better defender and shotblocker.

If it had to be a choice between the two (and apparently it had to), Denver made the right choice. But we lucked out too.

I wonder if the fact that Jokic is Serbian and Nurkic is Bosnian caused any bad blood between them?

 

We didn't think we were! Jermaine had had opportunities to start, and he blew them. Meanwhile Dale Davis was coming off an all-star year and played Shaq (seen as our chief rival in the West) very well.

I think Jermaine would have continued to disappoint if we'd kept him. He needed to go where somebody was ready to anoint him The One, and Isiah Thomas was ready to do that.

 

While I agree that Jokic is the better player, I don't think it's that simple. A player can be stuck behind another player on one team and then blossom on another team. Happens all the time. How many PGs was Chauncey Billups stuck behind in his early years? CJ was stuck behind Wesley, to give a more recent example.

 

Also their GM might be looking ahead: they have a ton of young players who are going to need big bucks pretty soon, so they might not want to commit to the guaranteed contract that comes with a first rounder. Some teams value second rounders more than firsts because they're so much more flexible, and once you get out of the lottery it's all a crapshoot. After all: Nurkic was a first rounder, Jokic was a second-rounder.

 

A reminder for fans of PER: Jokic is 9th in the ENTIRE LEAGUE, sandwiched between LeBron and Cousins.

 

How did NBA scouts not see his talent? Did teams think he'd never come to the NBA or something?!

 

I don't know, but international players will often TRY to be drafted in the second round (by spreading it about that they won't come over if they are) to get out of being trapped into a first-rounder's contract. (Remember: Wesley went undrafted in 2009, and the next year he was signed to us on a contract that made him higher paid than anyone in that cohort (e.g., Griffin, Harden, Curry).

 

Not to nitpick but let me nitpick. I think Nurkic is more than "decent" as a passer. His vision really is top notch. The best example is when he passes out of a pick and roll. He's also made some passes (mainly to Harkless) that I never saw Plumlee even attempt. Is he Jokic? Nah. Jokic passes like a point guard. But is he comparable to gasol, who was widely considered the best passing big before Jokic came into the picture? I think so.

 

I agree that Marc Gasol is the optimistic comparison for Nurkic. But remember that Gasol has won DPOY and is an amazing shooter (which is easy to forget because he's so unselfish). Both have had baby fat issues though...

So: Nurkic more like Marc, Jokic more like Pau. And Spain always struggles when they try to play both at once, as did Denver.

 

Oh right forgot about the contract details. Good point.

 

I'm actually really curious as to what kind of shooter nurkic will develop into, because when I look at his form, I don't see anything prohibitive. I think it's another part of his game that will come down to confidence. For example against the sixers I saw him get left wide open numerous times at the top of the key and he wasn't even LOOKING to shoot. Stotts will be good for his confidence. He'll give him the freedom that he probably hasn't had, and I think eventually you'll see him take those open shots without hesitation.

 

Most of these types of comparisons are really more about environment. Just look at Nurk. Prime example. Do you think he just went from scrub to all star caliber play with the wave of a wand? How players are used and the chemistry within, along with that environment makes as much a difference as actual talent.
When a player is comfortable they can play at optimal levels more consistently.

 

I think it's just a matter of not playing in Europe's highest level (Euroleague). Jokic was dominating (as I check his stats), but Serbian and Adriatic league are not really competitive leagues and probably scouts thought he wouldn't be able to make such an impact in a more competitive league. Ok right now it seems like a totally garbage scouting because his talent is so apparent that I think Malone should have been long gone for not unleashing him earlier.

 

8th now, posting the same PER with Lebron

 

Lovers will say that i'm a hater and that i bring up the topic after his worst performance, but c'mon, do you guys really thought there could even be a conversation about who's better between Jokic and Nurkic?

Stop being naive, stop being homer, start being realist (i know it sounds like a slogan for progress lol)

The trade still good because paying Plumlee big $$$$$ would have been dumb and we also got a first round draft pick, but as far as Nurkic he's not what people hope he will become, definitely he's not in the same tier as Jokic who's a franchise player.

 

There shouldn't even be a thread, if you read a Pacers forum you won't find a "who's better, Teague or Lillard?", but here just because fans were so desperate to find a meaning for this meaningless season there's people who thought Nurkic was comparable to Jokic just because of 5 games or a stats padding performance aganst the tanking 76ers.

 

You're not a hater. You're worse. You're a troll. You ONLY post negative shit and you do it to push people's buttons. We've seen your tired act countless times. If anything, you're setting trolldom back by at least a decade. 13-year old kids in their moms' basements are far, far better at it than you'll ever be.

But, keep it up. It seems to give your life the purpose it obviously lacks. Good for you.

BNM

 

Had to...