Pelicans acquire Nikola Mirotic from Bulls

The Pelicans completd a trade Thursday for Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic, completing a deal that had stalled in recent days, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

New Orleans will send Omer Asik, Tony Allen and Jameer Nelson with their 2018 first-round pick as part of the deal. The Pelicans will receive a second round pick from the Bulls.

Chicago Tribune beat writer K.C. Johnson adds that the Bulls will send back the second rounder sent to them by the Pels in the Quincy Pondexter acquistion. Ironically, Chicago will release Pondexter to make room for the players coming from New Orleans.

The Pelicans will guarantee the second year ($12.5 million) of Mirotic’s contract, Wojnarowski reports. Read more from The Advocate.

PELICANS ACQUIRE NIKOLA MIROTIĆ
February 1, 2018
NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Pelicans announced today that the team has acquired forward Nikola Mirotić (KNEE-coal-uh MIR-oh-tich) and a 2018 second-round pick from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for center Omer Asik, guards Tony Allen and Jameer Nelson, and a 2018 first-round draft pick. In addition, Chicago will have the right to swap its 2021 second-round pick with New Orleans’ own 2021 second-round pick.

Mirotić, 6-10, 220, has appeared in 25 games this season for the Bulls, posting averages of 16.8 points, while shooting .429 from three-point range, 6.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 24.9 minutes. Originally drafted by the Houston Rockets with the 23rd overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, the Montenegro native has appeared in 243 career regular season games for Chicago, averaging 11.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 23.0 minutes per game.

Asik, 7-0, 255, has appeared in 14 games this season for New Orleans, averaging 1.3 points and 2.6 rebounds. Originally acquired by the Pelicans in the summer of 2014, Asik has appeared in 189 regular season games for New Orleans, averaging 4.9 points and 5.0 rebounds in 19.9 minutes per contest.

Allen, 6-4, 231, who was signed this past summer by New Orleans, has appeared in 22 games this season for the Pelicans, averaging 4.7 points and 2.1 rebounds.

Nelson, 6-0, 190, who was originally signed by the Pelicans in October, appeared in 43 games for New Orleans, posting averages of 5.1 points, 2.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game.

Mirotić will wear #3 for the Pelicans. New Orleans’ roster now stands at 15, including two two-way players (Charles Cooke and Mike James).