Report: Mirotic to Pelicans trade falls apart

Not so fast.

The Chicago Bulls reportedly had an agreement to move power forward Nikola Mirotic to the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for Omer Asik and a future first-round pick, according to Vincent Goodwill of NBC Chicago.

However, that trade apparently fell apart for now, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. As he explains, Mirotic can be moved without his approval if the Bulls picked up his team option for 2018-19 prior to the trade. But without a guarantee, Mirotic would still hold a no-trade clause and decide on his future.

Mirotic has wanted off the Bulls ever since his fight with Bobby Portis earlier this season. That incident left Mirotic with a concussion and facial fractures, and he was sidelined for nearly two months. The two players have since co-existed, but it remains a sensitive situation.

Shipping off Mirotic for a first-round pick would be a tidy bit of business for the Bulls, who are one year into a rebuilding project. Swallowing the $11.3 million sum owed to Asik is less than ideal, but that's the cost of doing business.

As for the Pelicans, adding Mirotic would help patch up the void at power forward left behind by DeMarcus Cousins. Mirotic is notoriously streaky, but he is enjoying a career year with averages of 16.8 points and 6.4 rebounds this season while shooting a career-best 47 percent from the field and 43 percent from deep.