Denver Nuggets excerise third-year options on Gary Harris, Jusuf Nurkic

The Nuggets announced that they have picked up the third-year options on the contracts of guard Gary Harris and center Jusuf Nurkic.

Harris, 21, averaged 3.4 points and 1.2 rebounds in 13.1 minutes per game last season. He’s already an NBA-level defender, but his offense and more specifically his shooting is still a work in progress. Harris has shot the ball better this preseason, shooting 5-10 from 3-point range through the Nuggets’ first there preseason games.

Nurkic, 21, secured a spot on the All-Rookie Second Team last season after he averaged 6.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 17.8 minutes over the course of his rookie year. The Bosnian is currently rehabbing from surgery on his partially torn left patella and will miss the start of the season. Denver has not released a firm timetable on when he will be back.

As the 19th overall pick in 2014 NBA Draft, Harris’ third-year option guarantees the guard $1.65 million for the 2015-16 season. Nurkic, who was drafted three spots ahead of Harris at 16th overall, is in line for $1.9 million.

The Nuggets had a Nov. 2 deadline to decide on the rookie extensions, which are rarely not picked up.