"I'm not here to sit on the bench, I'm here to play basketball,": Nuggets' Jusuf Nurkic unhappy in current role

[Elite_video_player id=”39″]

DENVER — After recording DNP-CD’s in four-straight games and only playing 13 minutes over the Nuggets’ last six games since Michael Malone cut down his rotation to nine players, Jusuf Nurkic returned to the court Wednesday night in Denver’s 105-103 win over Minnesota and scored four points in nine minutes of action.

However, it’s been a frustrating year thus far for Nurkic who has seen his minutes and role fluctuate over the course of this season.

“It’s tough. I’m 22 years-old, I’m not here to sit on the bench, I’m here to play basketball,” Nurkic said Thursday at practice. “Tough decision for me, from starting spot for three minutes, to seven, four-straight not play. I’m not accept that. Nobody probably understands my position so even if you don’t know if you’re starting the next game or not. But like I said, you can control what you can control and I let my agent do the rest of the stuff.”

After the No. 16 pick in the 2014 draft burst onto the scene and averaged 6.9 points and 6.2 rebounds during his rookie year on his way to All-Rookie second-team honors, Nurkic suffered through an injury-plagued sophomore season after undergoing offseason knee surgery and only appeared in 32 games.

This year, after a bounce-back preseason, Nurkic started Denver’s first 25 games before getting relegated to the bench in favor of Nikola Jokic. Nurkic has played just 23 minutes since he started in Dallas on Dec. 12.

Transcript of Nurkic’s thoughts below:

On what he can bring defensivly –

“I know who I am and nobody’s going to change that. I’ve been so much in this situation and like I said, some point, we’re not on the same page. But like I said, I’m going to be professional here and let’s see what’s going on.”

On if it was “nice to play” Wednesday agasint Minnesota –

“It’s not good, when you’re not playing and you don’t feel part of the team. It’s not fun especially when you’re starting in the preseason, how many games, I don’t even know, and you just come to the game and you’re not in the rotation, nobody tells you anything, so it’s not my control. I’m going to do what I can do, come here, work every day hard and be professional like I should be.”

On if Malone’s constant praise is nice to hear –

“It’s the same thing as last year, man. I’m doing what I need to do but I feel sometimes they’re not appreciative of that. So like I said, what I can control, I do. I come here every day, twice to work out and be in shape, be ready. when you’re not playing it’s hard.”

Malone has said nothing but positive things about Nurkic as of late, praising his “attitude,” how he’s “worked his butt off,” and how he’s wanted to “reward” Nurkic with playing time for the work he’s put in.

Nurkic is expected to see the floor against Joel Embiid and Philadelphia Friday and DeMarcus Cousins and Sacramento Monday.