As we creep closer to the All-Star break, all the usual trade rumors and perpetual conjecture that coincide with this time of year have begun swirling throughout NBA circles.
Among those notable names being thrown into the rumor mill is the man who apparently never got the memo his team is supposed to be tanking– Chicago Bulls power forward Nikola Mirotic.
Nikola Mirotic interested in playing Jazz
It was an unpropitious start to the year for Mirotic, to say the least. As a result, he could be on the move, which should come as no surprise to anyone. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Mirotic is reportedly intrigued by the prospect of playing for the Utah Jazz under head coach Quin Snyder:
The Bulls are still planning to trade forward Nikola Mirotic, which can’t happen until Jan. 15 or without his permission, based on his contract. Mirotic has been intrigued with the Utah Jazz, whose coach, Quin Snyder, has a reputation for maximizing offensive talent.
Since returning from his injuries suffered at the hands of teammate Bobby Portis, Mirotic has been a lightning rod for a young Bulls team who was 3-20 at the time of his return– that same team is now 14-26.
After a torrid stretch which saw these Baby Bulls win a shocking 7 games in a row, the teams’ great fortune has cooled after the start of the new year– and it seems both parties may be ready to move on.
It is unfortunate, because Mirotic (26) has finally established himself as the Bulls’ greatest offensive asset after coming into the NBA after a long wait with so much promise. So it should come as no surprise that he has captured the attention of several point-starved teams in the NBA.
The Jazz are in desperate need of another legitimate scorer outside of rookie dynamo Donovan Mitchell. That said, Mirotic’s length and ability to stretch the floor with his three-point shooting prowess could prove to be a positive addition for the sake of both Mitchell and Utah as a whole.
