Utah Jazz: Why Mirotic to the Jazz is a “win-win-win”

Adrian Wojnarowski has reported that Chicago Bulls’ stretch four Nikola Mirotic is “intrigued” by the idea of playing for the Utah Jazz in Quin Snyder’s system.

Given today’s player-friendly CBA, win-win scenarios leading up to the NBA trade deadline (on February 8 this year) seem like a thing of the past. On the whole, players hold the majority of the bargaining power across the league’s trade market.

Teams are constantly being pressured to make sure they can get something in return for a player that appears destined to leave at the close of their contact.

That makes Nikola Mirotic’s reported (per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski) desire to join forces with Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert and the Utah Jazz that much more intriguing. Not only could Utah and Chicago both feel like winners in a potential deal, but Jazz fans would feel at peace that the team’s front office maintains their commitment to improving Utah’s roster.

In the words of the great Michael Scott, this would be a rare “win-win-win” scenario where three parties involved come out with their desired result.

The difficulty in all of this may come in Utah’s willingness to part with a piece on their current roster that Chicago finds worthy of Mirotic.

Here are the three big wins that would occur if the Jazz and Bulls can work out a deal to send the fourth-year sharpshooter to Utah…

Developmental rep and Snyder’s system

It appears that Jazz fans’ optimism that Utah’s player development program would entice talented players to come play in Salt Lake City is not unfounded. According to Woj’s report, Mirotic is intrigued with the opportunity to play in Snyder’s offensive system.

GM Dennis Lindsey, Coach Snyder and the Jazz front office have meticulously built a San Antonio-esque foundation to their operations and players seem to finally be taking note.

Most notably, the Jazz staff helped develop Gordon Hayward into an All-Star talent. Players like George Hill and Joe Ingles also developed their individual games within Utah’s program. The list of players goes on and on.

Snyder is a double-winner in this scenarios as he’ll get a player that seems to fit perfectly with the offense that he wants to play. During his tenure in Utah, Snyder has incorrectly been pegged as a defensive specialist. In reality, Snyder has been dealt rosters that are heavily talented on the defensive end of the floor

While Snyder has done the most with the cards he has been dealt, he seems to be eager to embrace the spread-you-out, European style of modern basketball. A 3-point-shooting big like Mirotic fits the bill.

Chicago fully embraces the tank

Heading into the 2017-18 campaign, many pegged the Bulls as having the NBA’s least-talented roster. After all, this is a team that just traded their franchise cornerstone in Jimmy Butler on draft night for young assets. There is no doubt that Chicago is playing for the future and any short-term success is a long-term failure.

That makes Mirotic’s recent play a problem for the Bulls’ long-term plans of a full rebuild.

Mirotic missed Chicago’s first 23 games after being injured by teammate Bobby Portis in a practice altercation. Since returning to the lineup on December 8, Mirotic has averaged career highs in points (17.4) and rebounds (seven per game).

Chicago went on a seven-game win streak after Mirotic re-joined the team. Despite their recent improvement, the Bulls and Mirotic still seem to agree that a move in imminent. This course of action would allow the Bulls to rid themselves of a player who obviously doesn’t want to play there in return for a potential young asset and/or a draft pick.

Mirotic’s obvious lack of desire to play for the Bulls may also help drive his value down, which would help the Jazz retain some of their assets as well.

Change-hungry Jazz fans

Due to Utah’s recent slump, the number of Jazz fans calling for a roster move has predictably increased. Whether fair or not (probably not), expectations for this Jazz team, especially without Gobert, have been high.

Lindsey has earned a reputation as one of the league’s best GMs and is committed to constantly evaluating options to improve Utah’s roster. Hiss recent comments may indicate that a potential move in on the horizon —

While a small coalition of Jazz fans have begun to come to grips with a potential Jazz tank, many remain desirous for this team to make the playoffs for the second straight year.

Despite the potential loss of Derick Favors that may inherently be attached to this move, the Jazz would jump right back into playoff consideration with a lineup that features Mitchell, Gobert and Mirotic.

What are your thoughts about this potential trade deadline deal? Would it be enough to push the Jazz back into contention or should Utah look elsewhere?

J-Notes Expert/Editor, Jared Woodcox also shared his initial thoughts on the potential move. Check them out here.

Next: NBA trade rumors: Nikola Mirotic ‘intrigued’ with Utah Jazz?

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