The Pelicans-Bulls Trade Involving Nikola Mirotic Is Back On

The Bulls are now sixth in the Tankathon rankings, with a 21.9 percent chance of a top-three pick, but not having Mirotic gives them a good chance at losing more. Whatever ends up being the case there, it’s a near certainty that New Orleans will soon have a versatile and risky frontcourt regardless of who starts and who comes off the bench as they look to make some noise in the Western Conference playoff race. The Pelicans will receive a second round pick from the Bulls.

Landing a first-round pick for Mirotic has to be considered a win as the Bulls continue to rebuild, and should take them further toward the bottom of the standings in a year where tanking is the sensible move.

“I’m exhausted, man. I’m exhausted”, Marbury said. Their star forwards Nikola Mirotic and Bobby Portis got into a scuffle at training camp, which led to a broken jaw for Mirotic and an 8-game ban for Portis.

The Pelicans will guarantee Mirotic’s .5 million team option for next season, and that helped convinced him, according to the report.

Mirotic is making $12.5 million this season and has a team option for the 2018-19 season worth the same amount.

After a failed attempt to trade for the Bulls’ Nikola Mirotic on Tuesday, the Pelicans got it done today.

The Chicago Bulls have made a decision to shut down Nikola Mirotic until the trade deadline passes, as they continue working to find a deal that makes sense for both sides.

And Mirotic chewed it all up, constantly reminding the media that it was no coincidence that the Bulls started playing better once he returned.

Mirotic never did get that starting spot back that the punch cost him, largely in part to the emergence of rookie Lauri Markkanen. Chicago will also send a second round pick to the Pelicans and the right to exchange seconds in the 2021 draft. That would be especially great headed into this complicated New Orleans offseason, but whether that can happen remains to be seen.

Keeping Portis over Mirotic makes sense for the rebuilding Bulls.

Bringing back Asik would be a homecoming, too, although it’s unlikely he would play much, if at all. On the plus side, Chicago gets some upside with the possibility that the Pelicans miss the playoffs and the pick ends up even better than where I’ve projected it.

Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry spoke to Monroe in the aftermath of his buyout, according to a report from ESPN.