NBA Trade Grades: Nikola Mirotic lands with the New Orleans Pelicans
By Ian Levy
Earlier this week a deal between the Bulls and Pelicans fell apart because of New Orleans’ reluctance to guarantee picking up Nikola Mirotic’s option for next year. Apparently they changed their minds.
Things changed quickly for the New Orleans Pelicans when DeMarcus Cousins tore his Achilles tendon, an injury that will keep him off the court for up to 10 months. Making the playoffs is of the utmost importance and all of a sudden there was even more pressure to squeeze a deal out of their limited assets and tight cap situation at the deadline.
Earlier this week a deal for the Bull’s Nikola Mirotic was reported, then later walked back when it came out that New Orleans balked at guaranteeing Mirotic’s team option for next season. Mirotic wanted that locked in and the trade fell apart. Today, the Pelicans agreed to guarantee his salary and the same basic deal was finalized.
New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans had to make a move to stay in the playoff race and this should definitely help. Mirotic has been terrific this season and his frontcourt shooting will be a welcome addition in trying to replace what Cousins brought. The flotsam sent out also clears a roster space to potentially sign Greg Monroe, who was bought out by the Suns this week.
Mirotic and Monroe together capture most of Cousins’ skill set, although obviously not nearly as prolific and divided between two players. Sending out another first round pick is hard (sounds like it will be a lightly protected 2018 selection) but the Pelicans have boxed themselves into needing to stay competitive. It might not raise their ceiling at all, but this move keeps them in the hunt for a postseason spot, shows Anthony Davis and Cousins that the front office is working on the problems, and won’t prevent them from re-signing Cousins this summer.
Grade: B
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Chicago Bulls
This deal accomplished two useful things for Chicago. The extra first-round pick will hopefully be conveyed this year and give them another bite at the apple in what could be a very nice draft class. Locking in multiple picks in consecutive years also ensures that the meat of their young core is on a very similar trajectory in terms of age and development.
Allen and Nelson are likely to be cut loose and Asik probably won’t see the floor. Sending out Mirotic will likely hurt the Bulls record in the short-term and increase their own lottery odds and the value of their own pick this summer. Mirotic wanted out and the Bulls didn’t need him for their future. Turning him into a better pick and an extra pick this year is a pretty nice move.
Grade: B+