Why the Utah Jazz need to go out and get Chicago’s Nikola Mirotic
As we enter the midway point in the 2017-18 NBA season, trade rumors are heating up around the league. For the Utah Jazz, there is one player in particular that makes sense to go get before the deadline: Nikola Mirotic.
Once the Utah Jazz found out that Gordon Hayward had decided to leave to join the Boston Celtics in free agency during the offseason, there were many question marks revolving around what the remaining personnel in Salt Lake City would look like.
After a very up-and-down first half of the 2017-18 NBA season for the Jazz, who are currently in a down stretch, many of those question marks still remain.
There’s no question that Utah has struggled this season. The Jazz have gone 3-13 in their last 16 games to bring them to 16-24 overall and 10th place in the Western Conference prior to game No. 41 against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night.
With the arrival of the midway point to the regular season, Utah might be ready to assess its question marks and slide within the conference standings by making some moves — both to unload and obtain assets.
Among the multiple deals that the Jazz could make around the deadline, which we took a look at earlier on in the season, there’s one player they should go out and acquire: Chicago Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic.
ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Monday that Mirotic – who can’t be traded until Jan. 15 or without his permission, based on his contract — has interest in joining Utah. That interest is believed to be mutual.
On Tuesday, the Salt Lake Tribune confirmed those reports, adding that the Bulls could be looking to acquire either a first round draft pick or Utah forward Derrick Favors in return for Mirotic. The latter option seems more likely, considering how fast the Jazz are sliding in the standings and how high that first round draft pick could potentially be in 2018 (this is assuming Chicago is looking specifically for a 2018 first-rounder).
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Mirotic in Utah is a nice fit in many aspects, as long as acquiring him doesn’t require Utah giving up a first round pick for the upcoming NBA Draft.
In 17 games this season, Mirotic has had some nice production for the rebuilding Bulls, averaging 17.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists per contest. He is also shooting 48.6 percent from the field and 46.5 percent from 3-point range.
Mirotic could be a nice addition to the Jazz, alongside Rudy Gobert, Donovan Mitchell, Joe Ingles and Ricky Rubio. For one, he’s a stretch-4 that can open up the paint for Gobert. Second, he can shoot from basically anywhere on the floor, which is incredibly valuable out of a big man in today’s NBA.
Those two skill areas are exactly where Favors — who carries more of an in-the-paint presence — has been lacking at the forward position for Utah this season, which could be one of the reasons why he looks to be on his way out following — or maybe during — the season.
Another intriguing aspect that is included with the idea of a potential Mirotic/Favors deal for both sides are the contracts for each player.
The Jazz wouldn’t be taking that big of a risk with Mirotic, granted they don’t give up too much to obtain the forward from Chicago. Mirotic has one year left on his deal after the 2017-18 season, a team option worth $12.5 million. Favors is in the final year of his deal, making $12 million this year. That would allow the Bulls to basically let Favors walk after this year, if they wanted, though it that were their intention, they’d probably ask for more in a potential deal to net something for Mirotic.
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Regardless of what the pieces end up being in a potential trade, Mirotic would be a very nice fit in Utah and could maybe even help the Jazz try and gain ground in the West. That is why Utah needs to find a way to go out and get Mirotic from Chicago before the deadline.