The Chicago Bulls have agreed to send Nikola Mirotic to the New Orleans Pelicans for Omer Asik and a draft pick. Here are NBA Trade Grades for both sides.
A stunning blockbuster deal involving Blake Griffin snatched all the headlines Monday, but the momentum didn’t stop Tuesday, with yet another big deal reportedly being sent through the pipeline…only to be called back to the drawing board until Thursday
NBCS Chicago‘s Vincent Goodwill originally reported the Chicago Bulls were finalizing a deal to send Nikola Mirotic to the New Orleans Pelicans for Omer Asik and a first round draft pick, but those talks fell apart, according to ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Fortunately, the two side were able to work through it, as Wojnarowski reported two days later the deal was being finalized, with Mirotic being sent to NOLA for Asik and a lightly protected first-rounder. Yahoo! Sports‘ Shams Charania reported that Tony Allen would be included in the deal, and Woj later added that Jameer Nelson would be included.
According to The Chicago Tribune‘s K.C. Johnson, the Bulls are sending a second round pick — originally acquired in the Quincy Pondexter trade with the Pelicans — back to New Orleans, while Chicago has the right to swap second-rounders in the future:
Bulls are giving the 2nd round pick acquired in the Quincy Pondexter deal back to Pelicans, per source. Bulls get first-round pick from Pelicans. Option to swap 2nd-round picks in 2 or 3 years, per source.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) February 1, 2018
NBA insider David Aldridge reports the first round pick is top-five protected for 2018, while Johnson added that Jameer Nelson would be included in the deal. Allen is expected to be waived, but Woj reports the Bulls will keep Nelson.
The deal is not yet finalized, but here’s what it looks like in principle:
With Mirotic playing the best basketball of his NBA career, Chicago was wise to capitalize on his all-time high trade value. For the Pelicans, this move represents a wise stopgap measure to keep Anthony Davis and keep the team on its current course for the playoffs.
He’ll never replace the injured DeMarcus Cousins, who was lost for the season, but the Brow now has a quality running mate in the frontcourt.
The question is, how did each team fare in this exchange? To sort it out, here are NBA Trade Grades for both sides.