NEW ORLEANS—The New Orleans Pelicans acquired forward Nikola Mirotic and a second-round draft pick from the Chicago Bulls for centre Omer Asik, guards Jameer Nelson and Tony Allen, and a first-round pick. Mirotic has averaged 16.8 points and 6.4 rebounds since missing the first 23 games this season because of two broken bones in his face stemming from a fight in practice with Bobby Portis. The altercation soured Mirotic on playing for Chicago, and the Bulls were looking to accommodate his request to be traded. “Niko’s representatives were consistent over the last several months that they wanted him moved,” said John Paxson, the Bulls’ executive vice-president of basketball operations. “They never backed off of that stance one bit.” Nelson has averaged 5.1 points and 3.6 assists in 43 games for New Orleans.

Source: thestar February 02, 2018 01:07 UTC