Going through season the toughest season since Tyrone Corbin was the coach, the Jazz are aiming for a roster shakeup.
Multiple NBA sources say nothing is done. But, talks are past the preliminary stage and getting serious between the Jazz and Bulls for power forward Nikola Mirotic. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski first reported Utah’s interest in Mirotic on Monday in this story:
Mirotic re-signed with the Bulls this past summer as a restricted free agent, which means he can’t be traded until Jan. 15th. Another interesting detail is that if the Bulls pick up their team option on Mirotic for next season before they trade him, Mirotic would lose his current no-trade clause and his current contract would become a two-year deal.
A new piece of information came out today, linking the Detroit Pistons as another suitor for Mirotic’s services.
Mirotic is an interesting piece on the trade market. His skill set is relatively diverse and rare, bringing both strengths and weaknesses.
For starters, Mirotic would be the perfect offensive 4-man for both the Jazz and the Pistons. His outside shooting would slide in perfectly next to either Rudy Gobert or Andre Drummond. This season he’s shooting 46 percent from 3-point range and he’s developed his game off the dribble enough to attack closeouts.
If the Jazz trade for him, Mirotic would give Donovan Mitchell and Rodney Hood another complementary scorer, and would provide the Jazz with much-needed offensive spacing.
For Detroit, adding a piece for Reggie Jackson and Ish Smith to hit on the weakside, and would only help their 16th ranked offense.
A trade for Mirotic doesn’t come without risks, however. He is not the best defender and was involved in an altercation with current teammate Bobby Portis during training camp this season. At the same time, both teams need a new injection of talent to help bolster their playoff hopes.
