8 points, 9 seconds
Fansided

The Pacers should keep their eyes on Nikola Mirotic as free agency approaches

By Jordan Brandenburg

MILWAUKEE, WI - MARCH 17: Nikola Mirotic #41 of the Milwaukee Bucks shoots the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers on March 17, 2019 at the Fiserv Forum Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images).
MILWAUKEE, WI - MARCH 17: Nikola Mirotic #41 of the Milwaukee Bucks shoots the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers on March 17, 2019 at the Fiserv Forum Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images). /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 3
Next
MILWAUKEE, WI – MARCH 17: Nikola Mirotic #41 of the Milwaukee Bucks shoots the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers on March 17, 2019 at the Fiserv Forum Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images).
MILWAUKEE, WI – MARCH 17: Nikola Mirotic #41 of the Milwaukee Bucks shoots the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers on March 17, 2019 at the Fiserv Forum Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images). /

Nikola Mirotic could be the stretch four the Indiana Pacers need, but they’ll have to pay for his services his free agency.

The Indiana Pacers front office has stated their desire for a stretch-four on multiple occasions. In a crucial off-season for a young contending team, would signing the Bucks free agent forward Nikola Mirotic be a good move?

For any organization wanting a power forward who is able to provide spacing on the offensive end, Nikola Mirotic should be on the radar. Currently, amidst a battle against the Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Montenegrin forward averaged 15.2 points and 7.4 rebounds over the regular season and helped a young Milwaukee squad secure home-court advantage after finishing first overall in the East.

During an interview on The Ride with JMV following post-season interviews, team president Kevin Pritchard was asked about the teams future. He responded, “We’ve got to produce a higher volume of shots, a higher volume of open threes, and play at a faster pace.”

A forward who has shot over fifty-five percent of his career attempts from three could easily contribute to this new initiative. For comparison, only 43.2% of Bojan Bogdanovic’s career attempts have come from behind the arc. Signing the free agent from Milwaukee would bring the first deep-scoring threat at the four in a long time.

Depending on the moves made by the Pacers front office this summer, bringing in Mirotic could allow for a long-range threat for the entire starting lineup. If the team doesn’t go after a co-star to pair alongside their two-time All-Star, having consistent shooters alongside a primary ball-handler who relies on getting to the rim is especially important.

The Bucks have a limited amount of cap space to utilize over the summer. Franchise star Giannis Antetokounmpo is due $25 million and point guard Eric Bledsoe inked a four-year, $70 million extension in March.

Even if the team waives George Hill, which would save $17 million in cap space, three of the team’s core players are likely to be on the free agent market this summer – Malcolm Brogdon (restricted), Khris Middleton (player option), and Brook Lopez (unrestricted). Therefore, it’s likely Milwaukee will focus their cap on attempting to bring back these players, as opposed to resigning Mirotic.

Let’s take a deeper look into Threekola’s game and how he’s able to positively contribute during his time on the floor.

Home/Pacers Free Agency