It's late, I'm on a three day weekend, been catching up on our new boy Mirotic.
We got a good one guys! Here are just a few of his recent highlights. Where upon his return to the Bulls, you really get a chance to see what he can bring to the table and how well he slots in next to AD.
Interesting because up until his return on the 24th game of the year for the Bulls, the Bulls had only won 3 games. They went on to win 7 in a row upon his return, 10 of his first 12 back. 14-11 overall in the games he has played....4-22 without him. He just makes teams better.
While I appreciate what Boogie does with his three point shooting, Nikola is the real deal from the arc. He is prime Ryno/Peja from the three but with better rebounding and a respectable set of inside moves that he doesn't go crazy with overuse like Ryno trying to be Dirk. He is a model of consistency, only scoring less than double digit points in games with at least 25 minutes this season once. Which should be very complimentary with AD's developed game.
His 17-7 stats don't stick out but that is also because in his breakout season he hasn't been playing starter level minutes. Averaging 25mpg. His per 36 would put him at a near 25-9 player. Now that is never a good stat to go on, but it shows the potential of what he may be able to bring to the table once acclimated and when his minutes no doubt trend upward given our needs. And for the doubters, a guy that can average 20+ points and 9 rebounds on 47% and 43% from three on 12 million a year is a coveted contract. Barring health, Mirotic should be about the best possible find to give us strength in the front court without Boogie. A contract that should be one of our most positive assets outside of AD.