NBA Rumors: Bulls Intend To Trade Nikola Mirotic, Cavaliers, Jazz, Blazers Emerge As Potential Landing Spots
Nikola Mirotic trade rumors are swirling across the NBA these days as the February 8 trade deadline draws near. The four-year veteran is considered as one of the top stretch fours in the league right now, but reportedly it is not the main reason why his trade value is so high.
Apparently, the Bulls are “planning to trade” Mirotic before the deadline, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. However, the team has to wait until after January 15, and they will also have to get his consent before completing any deals.
Mirotic spent the first 23 games of the season on the sidelines recovering from a concussion and multiple facial fractures. He acquired the injuries following a fistfight with teammate Bobby Portis in practice last summer.
The Bulls (14-27) were struggling when Mirotic returned as the squad was down in the Eastern Conference cellar with a 3-20 slate. Surprisingly, the former Spanish League MVP’s presence helped surge the team to an 11-7 record since then. He is currently averaging 17.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.5 assists despite the awkward on-court partnership with Portis.
However, the duo’s locker room and off-court relationship have not gotten better despite the winning run, which sparked rumors that the Bulls would rather trade Mirotic and keep Portis.
Mirotic has been linked to several teams ever since, including the New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons, as reported by an earlier Inquisitr article. Lately, three more teams are rumored to be interested in trading for Mirotic, namely the Cleveland Cavaliers, Utah Jazz, and Portland Trail Blazers.
FanSided’s King James Gospel blog suggested a Bulls-Cavaliers deal that would send Iman Shumpert and the Cavs’ “own first-round pick in 2018” (not the Brooklyn pick) in exchange for Mirotic.
The trade is said to be an “addition by subtraction” for both sides, as the Bulls and Cavs give away players who are both unhappy in their respective situations. Mirotic would be a valuable addition to Cleveland, though, as he could be another reliable spot-up shooter to come off the bench or even to start in place of Jae Crowder, the blog said.
However, the Chicago Tribune reported that Mirotic is “intrigued” with the possibility of playing in Jazz head coach Quin Snyder’s system, also citing Wojnarowski. Snyder is known as an offensive-minded coach, and Mirotic’s skills can evidently be maximized in such an environment.
The report noted that the Bulls are “seeking a first-round pick with no long-term contracts attached,” which makes it unclear what assets would the Jazz be willing to give up for Mirotic.
Lastly, SB Nation’s Blazer’s Edge blog has cited Hoops Hype as saying that Portland is another “potential trade destination” for Mirotic.
Potential trade destinations for Nikola Mirotic of the Bulls. https://t.co/mSHqRSbgPe
— HoopsHype (@hoopshype) January 7, 2018
The blog said that the trade exception the Blazers obtained from the Allen Crabbe deal with the Nets “would help them land Mirotic.” It also noted that the 6-foot-10 Spaniard would be a perfect fit with the athletically-gifted Al-Farouq Aminu and would be “an entirely different player” as compared to the rest of head coach Terry Stotts’ players.
