Mirotic’s skill set a natural fit for Bucks
Nikola Mirotic was at the New Orleans Pelicans’ practice facility on Thursday morning ready to go through his day as normal. He had heard rumors and whispers about the possibility he would be moved before the NBA’s trade deadline that day, but not enough for him to expect anything.
Then came a phone call from Pelicans general manager Dell Demps. Upon answering, Mirotic heard the words he thought might be coming — he had been traded. The only question was where he’d be going.
Demps then surprised Mirotic, telling he’d be headed to Milwaukee to join the Bucks.
“I was really excited,” Mirotic recalled at his introductory press conference Saturday at Fiserv Forum. “I knew it was ideal for me, a good opportunity. Actually, the best record in the NBA, so couldn’t be happier to be part of this team.”
Mirotic, a native of Montenegro who turns 28 on Monday, spent Thursday making logistical arrangements before arriving in Milwaukee on Friday while the rest of the team was in Dallas. In Milwaukee, he met with Bucks general manager Jon Horst and got acclimated to his third new city in just over a year having been traded from the Chicago Bulls to the Pelicans last Feb. 1.
Everything he heard from and about his new team led him to believe that he found a landing spot where his skills as a 6-foot-10 multi-dimensional scorer — particularly a three-point shooter — would fit well.
“They want a shooter, somebody who is going to spread the floor, especially with Giannis (Antetokounmpo) going to the basket,” Mirotic said. “There’s much more I can do, obviously. This year has been my best year for rebounding. I am just not a shooter. Most of the guys think I can just shoot the ball, but there’s much more to my game. It depends how they’re going to use me; I just want to do what’s the best for the team. I’m sure I’m going to adjust fast and be ready to play.”
Mirotic had his first meeting with his teammates, coach Mike Budenholzer and the Bucks coaching staff on Saturday when he went through some practice and shooting work. The session
wasn’t extensive considering Mirotic has been dealing with a strained right calf muscle for nearly three weeks.
But what Budenholzer saw was enough to impress him. He was encouraged by Mirotic’s calf and overall health, though not enough to play Mirotic in Saturday’s loss to the Orlando Magic. More than anything, the Bucks want to be cautious with Mirotic’s health and only play him when he is back to full health.
Mirotic said his calf is feeling great and he could be ready as soon as Monday when the Bucks visit his first team, the Chicago Bulls, at 7 p.m. at the United Center. Until then, Budenholzer will face the tough yet welcome task of finding a spot for Mirotic in Milwaukee’s rotation.
The Bucks’ 10-man core rotation includes Antetokounmpo, Brook Lopez, Ersan Ilyasova and D.J. Wilson in the frontcourt and with that group, the Bucks have gone 15-4 since Ilyasova returned from a broken nose in early January. Mirotic, who is averaging career highs with 16.7 points and 8.3 rebounds this season and has connected on nearly 36 percent of three-pointers in his career, is in Milwaukee because the Bucks believe he can add to their rotation and will certainly get minutes to prove it.
“He’s just a really versatile player, so it’s just exciting to think about the different ways we can incorporate him offensively,” Budenholzer said. “I think there’s a toughness to him that’s maybe underappreciated. Defensively, I think he’ll stick his nose in. He’s shown to be a little better defender than many people give him credit for, so just with he and Giannis and whether it be Brook or Ersan or D.J., there’s just a lot of versatility there in how we can use these guys and still be really good on both ends of the court.”
Whether or not he plays on Monday, Mirotic is no stranger to being traded at this time of year. Last year, he joined the Pelicans for the stretch run and made major contributions in the playoffs, averaging 15.0 points over two rounds while shooting 43.1 percent on threepointers.
He hopes to be the missing piece the Bucks need as they head toward the playoffs, which will be Mirotic’s fourth postseason experience in five seasons. It will take some time to adjust and figure out exactly how he can fit in Milwaukee’s puzzle, but he plans to use the team’s upcoming road trip and all-star break to get up to speed as much as possible. “I think it’s great because I need to adjust to the team, I need a little bit more time,” Mirotic said of the forthcoming stretch. “In this off time I can stay here in Milwaukee and I can practice. Also, my family is here with me, so we can find a new house. There’s a lot of things to do and just get ready for the end of the season.”