The New Orleans Pelicans have agreed to a trade for power forward Nikola Mirotic. They will send the four-year man to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for Jason Smith and Stanley Johnson, and “multiple” second round picks from the Pistons.
In the 2018-2019 season, Mirotic has put up 16.7 points per game and 8.3 rebounds per game, in 32 games played. Both of these numbers are up from his career averages of 12.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per game.
Stanley Johnson, who was dealt from the Pistons to the Bucks just yesterday, has played in 48 games this season, averaging 7.5 points, 1.3 assists, and 3.6 rebounds in a backup role for Detroit.
Smith has played in just 18 games, averaged less than 10 minutes, and scored just 3.2 points per game this season.
Mirotic is a solid piece to add to an already Eastern Conference-leading Milwaukee team. Adding both size and floor-stretching to create space for the dynamic Antetokounmpo. Perhaps the biggest win for the Bucks is the fact that they did not have to give up a first round pick in the deal.
At the same time, Johnson is a solid shooter, adding some competition already somewhat-crowded Pelicans backfield. Throw in those Pistons picks they received from the Bucks, and it seems like a smart move for everyone involved.
Featured image by Sean Gardner/Getty Images
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