20 free agents that could join Ricky Rubio (and Gordon Hayward) with the Utah Jazz
By Ryan Aston
Nikola Mirotic
Chicago Bulls big man Nikola Mirotic probably hasn’t lived up to the hype he had when he transitioned from the ACB League in Spain to the NBA in 2014. However, the former Spanish League MVP is still a legit threat as a floor-spacer.
Over the course of his career in the Windy City, the Montenegrin–Spanish big man has put up nearly 11 points and better than five rebounds per contest, hitting 35 percent of his three-point shots along the way. Solid, if unspectacular numbers.
His three-point percentage did drop five points last season and he was particularly underwhelming when he was open, making less than 30 percent on those attempts. However, Quin Snyder’s offensive system could fit him like a glove and ignite some of that untapped potential.
Mirotic is a restricted free agent, but Bulls GM John Paxson may be inclined to let him walk if he gets a big offer. As part of the Jimmy Butler trade, the team just acquired this year’s No. 7 overall pick Lauri Markkanen, who is essentially a younger, less expensive version of Mirotic.