NBA free agency has virtually come to an end, yet Nikola Mirotic remains unsigned. He wasn't one of the best players at his position to land on the open market this summer. But as a mid-tier free agent, he wasn't expecting to be sitting around jobless through all of July and now the first week of August. Is anybody going to sign him? These are four teams that could end Mirotic's nightmare and get him on a roster before the end of the summer.
4. Orlando Magic
Why not, right? The Magic have been bringing in veterans in free agency all offseason to buoy a young and struggling roster.
Marreese Speights and Aaron Afflalo are among those who have joined the fun in Orlando. There seems to be little rhyme or reason for those signings, other than to provide some sense of veteran stability on the roster. In other words, Mirotic would be a perfect fit for the NBA franchise with the least amount of direction.
3. Brooklyn Nets
The Nets are a rebuilding team, one who can afford to take chances on players with unfulfilled potential. Mirotic is younger than most think - he'll turn 27 years old around next year's trade deadline. He was an NBA All-Rookie First Team player just two years ago. He fits the mold of a hybrid forward, one who can shoot from a distance but use some size to his advantage.
There's no reason for a team in the Nets' situation not to take a chance on a guy like Mirotic.
2. Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis is another team in transition. They still have their two biggest stars, Mike Conley Jr. and Marc Gasol. But they are about to undergo a massive culture shift, with Tony Allen and Zach Randolph no longer in the building.
They started transitioning to a more three-heavy style last season that was lighter on the defensive end. Mirotic would fit into that new mentality fairly well. After some substantial losses, the team could also use some players to simply take up minutes.
1. Chicago Bulls
At the end of the day, only Mirotic's former team has been linked with him this offseason.
He can shoot from a distance and provide defensive value at power forward. They can afford to pay him a small fraction of what he likely should've commanded in free agency. In return, maybe he can showcase the promise he showed during his rookie season and take the next step in his development. Opportunities should abound, considering Mirotic should play significant minutes on a team suddenly bereft of any real proven talent outside of Robin Lopez.
