Mar 25, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets center Jusuf Nurkic (11) reaches for a loose ball during the first half against the Orlando Magic at the Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images

Utah Jazz’s Jusuf Nurkic Trade Keeps Looking Worse

Originally posted on Utah Jazz on SI | By Jared Koch | Last updated Aug 21, 2025 11:30 AM ET

The Utah Jazz made an interesting decision earlier this offseason in their move to trade Collin Sexton to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for veteran big man Jusuf Nurkic, effectively ending the long-spanning trade rumors revolving around Sexton, but also for a package that had a few fans scratching their heads.

Not only did the Jazz give up Sexton for a player in Nurkic, who's viewed by many as the inferior name in the trade, but Utah also forfeited a second-round pick in the deal to land the Hornets' big man.

At the time, the move certainly had its critics wondering whether the deal was the right call for the Jazz, and whether Nurkic was worth the trouble Utah went through to send out Sexton paired with a future second-rounder. And now, it seems those questions seem to only continue leading into next season, especially with the recent developments encircling Nurkic overseas.

Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes recently broke down the "biggest faller" on each NBA team following this most recent offseason of moves, where Nurkic found himself atop the list, largely for the recent comments made by his Bosnian coach at the EuroBasket tournament.

"Per a report from BasketNews, Bosnia and Herzegovina head coach Adis Beciragic said Nurkić, a member of the national team preparing for Eurobasket, 'is out of shape and can barely run," Hughes wrote. "Nurkić has had offseason glow-ups in the past, but everyone knows it only gets harder to snap back into condition as you age. The veteran center is now 31 and might not see much reason to attack his fitness with a season of tanking ahead in Utah."

The trade had its questions before Nurkic had those aforementioned conditioning issues, and now with those in the picture, it makes the trade even more regrettable.

Sure, the Jazz were expected to make a move on Sexton based on the goals new president of basketball ops, Austin Ainge, had in mind for this roster for next year. Tanking and lineup manipulation would not be in the cards, even if it meant shipping a tenured veteran for a less-than-ideal value like Nurkic.

Therefore, we saw Sexton head to a new situation in Charlotte with a second-round pick attached, while the Jazz brought in a frontcourt veteran who can add depth at the five spot when needed, but also remain a reserve on the bench in favor of Utah's young talent where it's necessary as well.

The deal fit the mold of what Ainge set out to do this offseason to truly maximize this young talent and their responsibilities for next year. But now, just over two months before the year kicks off, Nurkic's stock has already seemed to sink even further from where it began this summer–– making you wonder whether the drastic efforts to free Sexton from Utah were really the wisest decision.

There is still plenty of time between now and the start of the regular season for Nurkic to come into the building, work hard, and reset the narrative that's plagued him this offseason, but it remains to be seen if that ends up coming to fruition.