Nikola Mirotic will be out for the foreseeable future as the Chicago Bulls continue to look for avenues to trade him.
The one-time Spanish international was set to join New Orleans Pelicans but the deal fell through.
However, the forward will not be playing at least the February 8 trade deadline.
“I said to myself, ‘It’s happening. It’s happening. It could happen,’” Mirotic told reporters after Bulls morning practice in Portland about reports Tuesday he might be traded to the New Orleans Pelicans.
“That’s the only thing that popped into my head. I said, ‘OK, be calm. Wait. Do what they told you to do. Step off the court.’ I was doing some calls to my agent and my family. That’s all. The thing I want is the best for me and my future in the NBA. And I’m sure the Bulls are doing what’s the best for them, too.
“I just want to enjoy playing basketball, that’s all I want, all I need,” Mirotic said. “So far I’ve been enjoying playing basketball. It’s been really fun for me. The best basketball in my NBA career so far and that’s my only goal. It’s been day by day. Practice hard and improving myself. Consistency, that’s my goal. The rest, it’s not important.
“The media is writing what they think and hear. I’m doing my job. I’m comfortable with my teammates. I’m getting great support here. Obviously, it could happen any moment. I’m concerned about everybody here. The only thing I can do for myself and help my teammates is just be focused in the practices and games. If it happens, it happens.
“If I’m here tonight, I want to win tonight,” said Mirotic. “That’s all I want.”
