NBA Trade Grades: Bucks expand Pistons trade to scoop Nikola Mirotic

New Orleans Pelicans

With the playoffs slipping away and Anthony Davis‘ trade request being public knowledge for weeks now, it was time for the Pelicans to start shipping away expiring contracts. Nikola Mirotic was the most logical candidate as a stretch-4 with value, but not being able to secure a first-rounder here is something of a disappointment.

With that being said, New Orleans still received a decent haul of Stanley Johnson, Jason Smith’s expiring deal and a whopping four second round picks, two of which could be fairly valuable depending on how the Washington Wizards’ roster teardown unravels.

Mirotic was enjoying a career year alongside the Brow in the frontcourt, but it was time to move on. Snagging a young player and four future second-rounders is a decent haul, even if Johnson is hardly the 3-and-D wing they’ve been craving all these years.

Johnson’s complete lack of offense was a burden to a Detroit team looking to return to the postseason, but his contributions on the other end should be a boon to the Pelicans’ 23rd-ranked defense.

He certainly won’t spread the floor with his 28.2 percent shooting from beyond the arc, but the Pelicans have bigger problems to worry about at the moment. He may be able to carve out a role on a rebuilding team if he can earn ample minutes without facing the expectations of a playoff-desperate franchise.

Johnson’s restricted free agency shouldn’t be too tricky to navigate given his low value and the team’s imminent roster reconfiguration. More than likely, he could be re-signed for cheap when the offers don’t come rolling in. It’s not the best haul for a coveted stretch-4 like Mirotic, but it’ll do.

Grade: B-