Milwaukee Bucks’ job to keep the top seed in the Eastern Conference just got a lot tougher. After previously losing Malcolm Brogdon to a foot injury, the Bucks will now have to play without forward Nikola Mirotic as well.

The team confirmed on Wednesday that Mirotic suffered a fracture in his left thumb, but failed to give an expected recovery time. ESPN, on the other hand, reports that sources close to the team revealed them that the 28-year-old is expected to miss two to four weeks.

Bucks acquired Nikola Mirotic from New Orleans Pelicans in February in a three-team trade which also involved Thon Maker, Jason Smith, and Stanley Johnson. Since coming to Milwaukee, Mirotic played 14 games and averages 11.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game.

Besides Mirotic and Brogdon, who will be out for at least eight weeks, Milwaukee had to deal with several other injured players in the recent weeks. Team’s star Giannis Antetokounmpo was diagnosed with an ankle sprain on Tuesday and missed a couple of games while Ersan Ilyasova (illness), Sterling Brown (right wrist soreness) and Donte DiVincenzo (bilateral heel bursitis) were also unable to play at one point this week.

The post Bucks’ Nikola Mirotic Out for 2-4 Weeks appeared first on SportzBonanza.

While the NBA trade deadline didn’t treat us with big blockbuster trades, we did manage to see some major shakeups on Thursday. Arguably the biggest names that changed teams were Memphis Grizzlies’ Marc Gasol who was traded to the Toronto Raptors, and New Orleans Pelicans’ Nikola Mirotic, who joined Milwaukee Bucks.

After realizing they won’t get back to the playoffs anytime soon, Grizzlies started shopping Gasol in the recent weeks and were engaged with several teams including Charlotte Hornets. Still, Raptors made a last-minute offer for the 34-year-old which included Jonas Valanciunas, Delon Wright, CJ Miles and a 2024 second-round draft pick and managed to get their guy.

By pairing Marc Gasol with All-Stars Kyle Lowry and Kawhi Leonard, Raptors now formed their own Big-3 and emerged as one of the prime contenders to reach the NBA Finals in Eastern Conference. Grizzlies, on the other hand, officially entered the rebuilding mode and are facing a long way back to contention.

Gasol played 53 games this season and has averaged 15.7 points, 8.6 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game.

In the second big trade on Thursday, New Orleans Pelicans began the process of tearing down their roster and sent Nikola Mirotic to the Milwaukee Bucks. Pelicans received Jason Smith, Stanley Johnson and four second-round picks in exchange according to ESPN.

With this trade, the Bucks improved what has been already a strong roster and are slowly establishing themselves as a big force in the East.

Mirotic is averaging 16.7 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game.

The post Grizzlies’ Marc Gasol Traded to the Raptors, Pelicans Send Nikola Mirotic to Bucks appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After the season-ending injury of DeMarcus Cousins, New Orleans Pelicans have started making some roster moves acquiring forward Nikola Mirotic from the Chicago Bulls. They sent center Omer Asik, guards Tony Allen and Jameer Nelson and protected first-round draft pick in the opposite direction.

The two teams were working on this deal for some time now, but could only conclude it after the Pelicans agreed to guarantee the $12.5 million team option on Mirotic’s contract next season. This way the Bulls could trade Mirotic without his approval.

“We would like to thank Niko for all of his contributions during his time with the Chicago Bulls organization. We wish him the best with this new opportunity in New Orleans. As I have previously stated, this move has our best interests at heart as we continue to remake our team and position the Bulls for a successful future,” – said John Paxson, the Bulls’ executive vice president of basketball operations, in a statement.

This is one of those trades that work well for both sides. New Orleans Pelicans will keep their playoff hopes alive after losing Boogie, getting a player who averaged 16.8 points and 6.4 rebounds in the 25 games he played this season. It is worth noting that Mirotic shoots 42.9 percent from 3 on six attempts a game, better than any player Pelicans currently have on their roster. The team also got rid of Asik’s unfavorable contract which sees him getting $10.5 million this season, $11.2 million in 2018-19 and not giving anything in return.

For the Bulls, it was a no-brainer really. They continue to stockpile picks and can get back to their losing ways. The team was 3-20 without Mirotic and then won 15 out of 28 after he got back from injury. You can bet that Bull didn’t intend to become a playoff contender with Asik on the team.

The post New Orleans Pelicans Acquire Nikola Mirotic from Chicago Bulls appeared first on SportzBonanza.

According to multiple reports, Chicago Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic doesn’t intend to forgive his teammate Bobby Portis for punching him at practice and will seek a trade if Portis remains with the team. On October 17, Mirotic and Portis clashed on team’s practice, with Portis punching Mirotic in the face. Mirotic ended up in the hospital, with two fractured facial bones and a concussion. Portis, on the other hand, received 8 games suspension.

Asked about Mirotic’s trade desires, Bulls’ executive vice president John Paxson, declined to give a direct answer.

“I’m not going to get into any specifics about what discussions we have had with any agents and players,“- Paxson said. “What I do want to say is we’re really sensitive to this entire issue and what Niko is going through physically and mentally. We’re trying to be sensitive to him. We don’t have all the answers today, but … we have to do what’s in our best interests. That’s the bottom line. We’re going to continue to communicate with Niko and his representatives and find our way through this. It’s very important for us to do what’s in our best interest.“

Mirotic is still recovering from the injury, and will likely spend 6 weeks of the court. He recently signed a new 2-year deal with the Bulls, worth around $27 million and expressed his desire to stay in Chicago for a long time. Now, it looks like he will move on if Portis sticks around. The Bulls can hope that the relationship between the players will heal over time or part ways with one of them. It is important to note that Mirotic can’t be traded until January.

The Chicago Bulls previously stated that, although Portis was the one who crossed the limit, Mirotic also played a part in the incident. The organization even allowed Portis to participate in practice. Portis expressed his regret after punching Mirotic and reached out to apologize personally, but didn’t receive an answer.

The post Chicago Bulls Nikola Mirotic Wants to Be Traded if Bobby Portis Stays appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Milwaukee Bucks’ job to keep the top seed in the Eastern Conference just got a lot tougher. After previously losing Malcolm Brogdon to a foot injury, the Bucks will now have to play without forward Nikola Mirotic as well.

The team confirmed on Wednesday that Mirotic suffered a fracture in his left thumb, but failed to give an expected recovery time. ESPN, on the other hand, reports that sources close to the team revealed them that the 28-year-old is expected to miss two to four weeks.

Bucks acquired Nikola Mirotic from New Orleans Pelicans in February in a three-team trade which also involved Thon Maker, Jason Smith, and Stanley Johnson. Since coming to Milwaukee, Mirotic played 14 games and averages 11.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game.

Besides Mirotic and Brogdon, who will be out for at least eight weeks, Milwaukee had to deal with several other injured players in the recent weeks. Team’s star Giannis Antetokounmpo was diagnosed with an ankle sprain on Tuesday and missed a couple of games while Ersan Ilyasova (illness), Sterling Brown (right wrist soreness) and Donte DiVincenzo (bilateral heel bursitis) were also unable to play at one point this week.

The post Bucks’ Nikola Mirotic Out for 2-4 Weeks appeared first on SportzBonanza.

While the NBA trade deadline didn’t treat us with big blockbuster trades, we did manage to see some major shakeups on Thursday. Arguably the biggest names that changed teams were Memphis Grizzlies’ Marc Gasol who was traded to the Toronto Raptors, and New Orleans Pelicans’ Nikola Mirotic, who joined Milwaukee Bucks.

After realizing they won’t get back to the playoffs anytime soon, Grizzlies started shopping Gasol in the recent weeks and were engaged with several teams including Charlotte Hornets. Still, Raptors made a last-minute offer for the 34-year-old which included Jonas Valanciunas, Delon Wright, CJ Miles and a 2024 second-round draft pick and managed to get their guy.

By pairing Marc Gasol with All-Stars Kyle Lowry and Kawhi Leonard, Raptors now formed their own Big-3 and emerged as one of the prime contenders to reach the NBA Finals in Eastern Conference. Grizzlies, on the other hand, officially entered the rebuilding mode and are facing a long way back to contention.

Gasol played 53 games this season and has averaged 15.7 points, 8.6 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game.

In the second big trade on Thursday, New Orleans Pelicans began the process of tearing down their roster and sent Nikola Mirotic to the Milwaukee Bucks. Pelicans received Jason Smith, Stanley Johnson and four second-round picks in exchange according to ESPN.

With this trade, the Bucks improved what has been already a strong roster and are slowly establishing themselves as a big force in the East.

Mirotic is averaging 16.7 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game.

The post Grizzlies’ Marc Gasol Traded to the Raptors, Pelicans Send Nikola Mirotic to Bucks appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After the season-ending injury of DeMarcus Cousins, New Orleans Pelicans have started making some roster moves acquiring forward Nikola Mirotic from the Chicago Bulls. They sent center Omer Asik, guards Tony Allen and Jameer Nelson and protected first-round draft pick in the opposite direction.

The two teams were working on this deal for some time now, but could only conclude it after the Pelicans agreed to guarantee the $12.5 million team option on Mirotic’s contract next season. This way the Bulls could trade Mirotic without his approval.

“We would like to thank Niko for all of his contributions during his time with the Chicago Bulls organization. We wish him the best with this new opportunity in New Orleans. As I have previously stated, this move has our best interests at heart as we continue to remake our team and position the Bulls for a successful future,” – said John Paxson, the Bulls’ executive vice president of basketball operations, in a statement.

This is one of those trades that work well for both sides. New Orleans Pelicans will keep their playoff hopes alive after losing Boogie, getting a player who averaged 16.8 points and 6.4 rebounds in the 25 games he played this season. It is worth noting that Mirotic shoots 42.9 percent from 3 on six attempts a game, better than any player Pelicans currently have on their roster. The team also got rid of Asik’s unfavorable contract which sees him getting $10.5 million this season, $11.2 million in 2018-19 and not giving anything in return.

For the Bulls, it was a no-brainer really. They continue to stockpile picks and can get back to their losing ways. The team was 3-20 without Mirotic and then won 15 out of 28 after he got back from injury. You can bet that Bull didn’t intend to become a playoff contender with Asik on the team.

The post New Orleans Pelicans Acquire Nikola Mirotic from Chicago Bulls appeared first on SportzBonanza.

According to multiple reports, Chicago Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic doesn’t intend to forgive his teammate Bobby Portis for punching him at practice and will seek a trade if Portis remains with the team. On October 17, Mirotic and Portis clashed on team’s practice, with Portis punching Mirotic in the face. Mirotic ended up in the hospital, with two fractured facial bones and a concussion. Portis, on the other hand, received 8 games suspension.

Asked about Mirotic’s trade desires, Bulls’ executive vice president John Paxson, declined to give a direct answer.

“I’m not going to get into any specifics about what discussions we have had with any agents and players,“- Paxson said. “What I do want to say is we’re really sensitive to this entire issue and what Niko is going through physically and mentally. We’re trying to be sensitive to him. We don’t have all the answers today, but … we have to do what’s in our best interests. That’s the bottom line. We’re going to continue to communicate with Niko and his representatives and find our way through this. It’s very important for us to do what’s in our best interest.“

Mirotic is still recovering from the injury, and will likely spend 6 weeks of the court. He recently signed a new 2-year deal with the Bulls, worth around $27 million and expressed his desire to stay in Chicago for a long time. Now, it looks like he will move on if Portis sticks around. The Bulls can hope that the relationship between the players will heal over time or part ways with one of them. It is important to note that Mirotic can’t be traded until January.

The Chicago Bulls previously stated that, although Portis was the one who crossed the limit, Mirotic also played a part in the incident. The organization even allowed Portis to participate in practice. Portis expressed his regret after punching Mirotic and reached out to apologize personally, but didn’t receive an answer.

The post Chicago Bulls Nikola Mirotic Wants to Be Traded if Bobby Portis Stays appeared first on SportzBonanza.