Bulls offseason Thread

How Nikola Mirotic's season, and maybe his tenure, ended with Real Madrid
By Lucas Navarrete @LucasNavarreteM on Jun 29 2014, 10:12a

The Bulls have been high on the Spanish forward since he was drafted, but poor end with Real Madrid might have Chicago wanting to readjust its expectations.

The forward has changed his mind after head coach Pablo Laso decided to decrease his importance in Real Madrid's system

It has not been an easy 2013-2014 season for Real Madrid Basketball. Under head coach Pablo Laso, the team signed one of Europe's most dominating Centers in Ioannis Bourousis in order to win their 9th European title. After all, that was what the team was lacking when they lost against Olympiakos in the 2013 Euroleague Final. With Bourousis on the roster, Real Madrid had the best team in Europe and they were also playing a very attractive style of basketball. Everything was going well, and Real Madrid managed to break Spain's record for most consecutive wins -28-, but a catastrophic loss against Maccabi Tel Aviv in the 2014 Euroleague Final set the tone for yet another failure in the Spanish league Playoffs.

Nikola Mirotic, arguably one of the continent's greatest players, never performed that way this season. He was so angry after the loss against Maccabi that he decided to stay another year in the Spanish capital and play another season for Real Madrid before joining the NBA. His performance on that Final was so bad that he felt he owed something to the fanbase and the squad. But during the Spanish playoffs, something happened. Mirotic still struggled and head coach Pablo Laso decreased his importance in the team. He wasn't getting as many shots and minutes. It should be noted that Mirotic never was Real Madrid's franchise player. Rudy Fernández and Sergio Rodríguez are Laso's go-to guys, and although this might seem strange to some NBA fans that recall both Spanish players as mediocre, they're still able to dominate European basketball. But still, Mirotic appeared to play carelessly throughout the Playoffs, so Laso decided to bench him more often. He pretty much made Bostjan Nachbar an NBA All-Star with his mediocre defensive game against him. And now, Real Madrid's board is so tired of him that they want Mirotic to pay those 2.5M€ and join the NBA. That's not a lot of money in American basketball, but Real Madrid can do a lot with that money, so considering that Mirotic now wants to leave as well, both parts are ready to say good-bye.

It will not be easy for Mirotic to adapt to the NBA. He definitely has the skills to be an important player in the future, but his mentality and attitude is what should be worrying every Chicago Bulls fan. Mirotic wasn't ready to take a step forward when his team needed him, so how will he adapt to fight for a spot in a basketball team that will require him to prove himself? Those fans expecting a new version of Dirk Nowitzki need to lower their expectations. Again, he has the skills, just like many other players, but what makes a good basketball player into an All Star is a competitive mindset and hunger to be the best. Mirotic has not been that player in Europe's biggest competition for the club that raised him and shaped him into the player he is today. If Mirotic finds that mentality and desire to be the best and gets rid of his agent -whose advice isn't exactly good for him-, he will be able to succeed in the NBA and be an important player, but if he doesn't, his skills will not be enough against much tougher defensive matchups and a league in which is not easy to get guaranteed shots when playing alongside Derrick Rose or any other star players.
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Link

I thought this tidbit was the most interesting. I think a change of scenery will definitely benefit him, especially getting a new agent it seems.

If Mirotic finds that mentality and desire to be the best and gets rid of his agent -whose advice isn't exactly good for him-, he will be able to succeed in the NBA and be an important player,
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700


:lol: :\
 
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CAto312 said:
:lol:

Sorry, I didn't mean to combine the two. I was pulling for El Tri.

Btw, looked like a weak call to me....Memo was a beast though :pimp:
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That's what's crushing too, his performance throughout the cup was for not....damn.

As for Mirotic, in an ironic twist, Nocioni has reportedly been signed to replace him already: http://www.tubasket.com/noticia/rea...adrid-ser-sustituto-niko-mirotic/3336381/6304

We need to chill with our expectations altogether with rookies these days. It'll take time but I bet he's at least a solid role player for us off the bench.
 
:rofl:
You good CA , I knew this last year was rough on Mirotic, but maybe a change of scenery and the tutelage of Thibs will change it around for him.
Prior to this I really hadn't heard anything with this agent meddling or giving him bad advise but we all know how these things work behind closed doors.

Off topic but I'd be down for a meet up at a bar to watch the World Cup championship game, by that time all of the Melo-drama should be behind us.
 
I was never banking much on Mirotic anyway - it always seems like it can go 50/50 with these high profile European types - but he managed to fall even below my low expectations based on that article. Dude sounds mentally soft.
 
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We're Bulls fans...we were kinda spoiled by the MJ glory days and the dark days of Eddie Robinson / Trenton Hassell / Luke Schensher, etc. drive whatever pessimism we have. :lol:

Look at this way...remember how it looked really good Summer of 2010?? I was confident as could be before the Decision and all of the details spilled out.

Who knows it could be different this time around.
 
I guess the only good thing is he won't cost as much money to bring over now. He has to know he can't ask for the same kind of money now.
 
CAto312 said:
We're Bulls fans...we were kinda spoiled by the MJ glory days and the dark days of Eddie Robinson / Trenton Hassell / Luke Schensher, etc. drive whatever pessimism we have. :lol:

Look at this way...remember how it looked really good Summer of 2010?? I was confident as could be before the Decision and all of the details spilled out.

Who knows it could be different this time around.
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Yea, I remember thinking it made so much sense for us to land at least one of the big three. The day of the decision was the biggest shock of my life.

This time around my expectations are low. I don't even expect Melo to land Melo. Ppl just don't want to come here.
 
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Would prefer to go last but if thats the order then thats from best to worst cuz aint no way in hell LA is the best lol

We need to knock this out of the park
 
Melos first about his money image and family be4 winning honestly in my eyes, saying he's done loosing he wants his best chance at a ring might just have been his self ego he wished he had talking if that makes sense imo

Hope real badly I'm wrong such a great player that can do great things here..

It's looking real bad but maybe we'll get a surprise.. If not isn't Klove still in play??
 
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^
K love is still in play but by the looks of Flip and Twolves, they won't trade him for anything less than a kings ransom.

They should've traded him before the draft cause the closer we get to the trade deadline the more leverage they lose. Eventually someone will get desperate and give up a lot for him.

I also don't think we should give up on Melo just yet. He's a prideful guy and the way Phil's been playing him in from of the media I wouldn't be too sure he stays.....if he does he'll look like Phil's b!+ch.
Not to mention Phil will try to play him out of a max deal to "get better talent"

Either way it's too late for guys like him and bron to try to play that character role when their images will forever be tarnished for all the ho moves they've pulled.
 
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I don't even know.. I don't think I want that to be us if it's both taj n butler maybe boozer and one of them I can live with..I don't know
 
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