The Chicago Bulls traded Nikola Mirotic and a second round pick to the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for three players and a protected first round pick. Here are a few takeaways from this move.
The Chicago Bulls didn’t exactly start the 2017-18 campaign on the right foot. Thanks to a preseason practice altercation between Nikola Mirotic and Bobby Portis, the team was down two of its rotational players for a total of 31 games.
As a result, the Bulls posted just three wins through their first 23 games. However, when Mirotic returned to the lineup, things began to change.
The Bulls became the only team in NBA history to win at least five consecutive games on the heels of a 10-game losing streak.
This was quite the accomplishment for a team that was expected to finish with one of — if not the — worst records in the league.
The Bulls just became the first team in NBA history to follow up a 10-game losing streak or longer with a winning streak of 5 games or more, according to @EliasSports.
— Chris Herring (@Herring_NBA) December 16, 2017
Ironically, Mirotic – the guy who sat out 23 games due to a concussion and multiple facial fractures — had a lot to do with the team’s success during that unlikely winning streak and it should not be overlooked that the Bulls have gone 15-14 since that abysmal start.
But even though Mirotic was playing the best basketball of his career since arriving in the Windy City prior to the start of the 2014-15 season, he expressed a desire to be traded shortly after the altercation with Portis and he finally got his wish.
As reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Bulls parted ways with their fourth-year forward, sending Mirotic and a second round pick to the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for Omer Asik, a lightly-protected first-round pick along with Tony Allen and Jameer Nelson—the former of which will be waived.
The Bulls will also be able to swap second round picks in 2021.
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
So now that the dust has settled and the Mirotic experiment has officially come to an end, here’s a look at the notable takeaways from this move.