Utah Jazz: J-Notes staffers evaluate every NBA trade deadline deal
By Ryan Aston
Nikola Mirotic deal
TO BULLS: Tony Allen, Omer Asik, Jameer Nelson, 2018 first-round pick, 2021 second-round pick swap rights. TO PELICANS: Nikola Mirotic, 2018 second-round pick
Padmore: After losing DeMarcus Cousins for the season, the Pelicans were desperate for some help in the frontcourt. Chicago made it clear they wanted a first-round pick for Mirotic, and that’s exactly what they got. New Orleans is fighting to make the playoffs, and Mirotic will help the playoff push, while the rebuilding Bulls add another draft pick to the collection. It’s a win-win trade to me, but New Orleans may regret giving up that pick, especially if they miss the playoffs and it ends up in the draft lottery.
Barker: The Bullz r sux. I actually favor the Bulls in this trade a lot though. When Jazz fans saw Favors obliterate Mirotic after the deal, we knew he was overhyped. #TonyJonesCalledIt. I mean, getting one bad deal off your books is nice, but Solomon Hill and an overpriced Jrue Holiday are still killing your cap space and you still have to re-sign Boogie Cousins. This deal works out well for the Bulls because they get what they want — a draft pick to rebuild their team. They’re the only team that got a first-round pick at the deadline. Huge move for Chicago. As for me, I’ll always kill the Pelicans for wasting so much of AD’s prime to this point.
John Keeffer: As a Jazz fan, I am a little sour about this one, because I would’ve loved to end up with Mirotic. If you are the Chicago Bulls, you are not interested in winning in any way shape or form, and this should make them worse in the short-term. You also get another firs- round pick that should at worst be in the late teens. If the Pelicans can survive the Cousins injury and now make the playoffs, it will absolutely have been worth sacrificing that first-round pick. If not, they will likely regret the short-term thinking.
Woodcox: My thoughts are pretty simple on this one. The Jazz were reportedly interested in Nikola Mirotic all through trade seaso,n but ultimately weren’t willing to give up a first-round pick for him. The Pelicans were desperate for help in the frontcourt after losing Cousins, but they would have been wise to follow Utah’s example. Mirotic has some positives and could help New Orleans, but they overpaid. Chicago wanted rid of him anyway so they clearly won the deal by netting the highly coveted first-rounder despite having to take on Asik’s dead weight contract.
Aston: I still believe the Jazz could have benefited from the addition of Mirotic. That said, I’m glad they didn’t succumb to surrendering a first-round pick or taking on a bad contract. The cost clearly outweighed the benefit here. Kudos to NOLA for managing to rid themselves of the Asik deal, but they may rue the day they dealt first-rounder for what could end up just being a stopgap with DeMarcus Cousins out.
Thorpe: Despite taking on Asik’s horrendous contract, the Bulls have to be the winners here. Mirotic was simply playing well enough to eliminate Chicago’s hopes of a top three or five pick. He had to be eliminated…. I mean traded. The Bulls not only further embraced their future, but they got a first-round pick in return. New Orleans gets their replacement for Boogie alongside AD.
Next: Zeller to Milwaukee