Report: Mirotic willing to accept trade away from Chicago

Nikola Mirotic evidently changed his mind over the last few hours.

The ailing Chicago Bulls forward is now willing to drop his no-trade clause and accept a deal away from the team, according to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune.

Earlier in the day, reports from Johnson had suggested Mirotic wanted to stay the course with the Bulls and remain with the only NBA franchise he's ever known.

Mirotic is currently recovering from a concussion and facial fractures suffered during a fight in practice with Bulls forward Bobby Portis. He's expected to miss four-to-six weeks and will wear a mask upon his return.

Reuniting with Portis would likely lead to some extreme awkwardness in Chicago's locker room, especially since the two players already had bad blood going back years.

Since he re-signed as a restricted free agent this summer, Mirotic cannot be traded until mid-January. The 26-year-old Montenegrin is owed $12.5 million for this season and for 2018-19, although next season's salary is subject to a team option.