NBA Trade Deadline 2018: 5 trades to save Nikola Mirotic from the Bulls
4. team. 118. . . . Utah Jazz
The Jazz currently sit on the outside of the Western Conference playoff picture but have shown interest in acquiring Mirotic, reportedly offering forward Derek Favors in return.
The contract situation would match up perfectly for each team, as Favors is making $12 million in the final year of his deal. This would allow Chicago to let him walk at the end of the season, continuing to free up cap room for their rebuild.
The deal would hinge on Utah’s willingness to part with their 2018 first-round pick, which if the season ended today would be in the lottery. A haul of a lottery pick in this year’s draft, plus cap flexibility could be the perfect situation for the rebuilding Bulls.
The move to Utah could provide Mirotic with a much bigger role than any of the other teams on this list of potential landing spots. The Jazz could certainly use his shooting stroke and killer instinct, and Mirotic could wind up playing major minutes alongside rookie surprise Donovan Mitchell and company.
The Jazz may not be in a position to make the playoffs this year, after losing star Gordon Hayward to the Celtics in free agency last offseason, and defensive anchor Rudy Gobert to injuries for all but 18 games this season, but all is not hopeless in Utah.
Adding Mirotic to a roster already featuring Rookie-of-the-Year candidate Mitchell, perennial Defensive-Player-of-the-Year threat Rudy Gobert, as well as Ricky Rubio, Joe Ingles, Alec Burks, Thabo Sefolosha, and the rest could set up Utah for playoff contention for the foreseeable future.
It’s been reported that Mirotic is keen on the idea of heading to the Jazz to play for head coach Quinn Snyder. We’ll find out soon if he gets his wish.