The Chicago Bulls have agreed to trade forward Nikola Mirotic to the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for a 2018 protected first-round pick, center Omer Asik, guard Tony Allen, and guard Jameer Nelson.

The deal was completed once the Pelicans agreed to guarantee the $12.5 million team option on Mirotic's contract next season. This allowed the Bulls to finalize the trade without Mirotic's permission. To unload the contract of Omer Asik, the Pelicans had to attach a first-round draft pick to the deal. The pick, however, is top-5 protected selection in 2018, top-8 protected in 2019, top-10 protected in 2020, and top-9 protected in 2021, league sources told ESPN.

Mirotic is averaging 16.8 points and 6.4 rebounds since missing the first 23 games of the season after a scuffle in practice with former teammate Bobby Portis.

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