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Nikola Mirotic

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» Saturday, June 11 2011

Nikola Mirotic, on the other hand, may withdraw. I spoke with his agent this week and he said that if he had to decide today, Mirotic would likely sit this draft out. NBA teams are very high on Mirotic, but he has an even stickier buyout situation than Valanciunas does. ESPN.com

Mirotic recently signed a three-year extension with Real Madrid. He was already under contract for two more years -- meaning he's now locked into a five-year deal with a large NBA buyout of 2.5 million euros. Why would Mirotic do such a thing knowing he had interest from NBA teams? He was stuck in a situation similar to Ricky Rubio's. He was locked into a two-year contract that didn't pay him anything, but he had a 2 million euro buyout. ESPN.com

By agreeing to the extension, Mirotic dramatically raised his salary to the equivalent of a top-10 pick in the NBA draft. But to do it, he had to accept an even larger buyout of 2.5 million euros. In other words, he wasn't coming to the NBA for two years anyway. Now he's probably three years away, but at least he's in a better financial situation. Mirotic's buyout lasts for only the first four years. That means after the third year it's very likely that his team will be willing to negotiate a much smaller buyout so they can get something for him. If they wait him out, he can leave for the NBA without a buyout and his team won't be compensated. ESPN.com

 

» Friday, June 10 2011

Nikola Mirotic, on the other hand, may withdraw. I spoke with his agent this week and he said that if he had to decide today, Mirotic would likely sit this draft out. NBA teams are very high on Mirotic, but he has an even stickier buyout situation than Valanciunas does. Mirotic recently signed a three-year extension with Real Madrid. He was already under contract for two more years -- meaning he's now locked into a five-year deal with a large NBA buyout of 2.5 million euros. ESPN.com

 

» Thursday, June 9 2011

Sam Presti is an opportunist, and he is patient. Mirotic, based on talent, is a lottery pick. But a massive buyout means he won't be playing in the NBA anytime soon. If he stays in the draft -- a big "if" at this point -- someone will gamble on him. If it's Presti, he could be getting a major steal down the road. If Mirotic is off the board, Bogan Bogdanovic and Lucas Nogueira are possibilities. ESPN.com

 

» Tuesday, April 26 2011

Just days before its first Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four appearance in 15 years, Real Madrid has announced a new agreement with forward Nikola Mirotic to extend his contract until the end of the 2015-16 season. Mirotic (208, 20) last week was voted the 2010-11 Euroleague Rising Star Trophy winner in a ballot of Euroleague head coaches. Mirotic has averaged 7 points on 44.4% three-point and 84.6% free throw shooting, as well as 3.2 rebounds and 0.5 blocks in 18 Euroleague off the bench this season. In nine games where he played more than 15 minutes - seven in the Top 16 and playoffs - Mirotic boosted his averages to 11.8 points and 5.6 rebounds. Sportando

 

» Monday, April 25 2011

Nikola Mirotic: "I wouldn't go to the NBA this summer even if I'm a Top 5 pick. I like it a lot here, I'm very comfortable and, like I said, I have a lot of challenges here." ABC.es

 

» Tuesday, April 19 2011

Nikola Mirotic has signed a contract that will keep him in a Real Madrid jersey until at least 2016. The deal included an opt-out clause that would allow him to leave for the NBA. The cost would be 3.5 million euros ($5 million). Marca.com

Nikola Mirotic: "Honestly, I don't think about the NBA and I'm not attracted by it like other young players. The fact that I'm declaring for this draft doesn't mean I'm thinking about in the NBA and going there." Marca.com

 

» Monday, April 18 2011

 

» Tuesday, March 29 2011

 

» Monday, March 21 2011

 

» Friday, March 18 2011

You are the number 1 in our '91 ranking, and your name appears in some NBA mock drafts. Will you declare eligible for it? Nikola Mirotic: I don't want to think about it. I am really concentrated with Real Madrid. I am very proud to be part of this club senior team and I must do all is possible to help. We have really tough contests next weeks so we must put all five senses, in ACB and Euroleague. There are many challenges, and I want to live them with Real Madrid. Eurohopes

 

» Thursday, March 3 2011

From speaking to members of Mirotic's camp, it doesn't appear that he has a burning desire to leave Spain anytime soon, and it's not even a sure bet that he will be entering this year's draft. He reportedly is more focused on winning championships, becoming a top-level player in Europe and securing his family financially before leaving for the NBA. DraftExpress.com

The biggest drawback from an NBA standpoint is in the likelihood a team will actually be able to bring him over. Mirotic was brought to Spain (from Montenegro, by a Real Madrid scout) when he was just 15 years old and signed a nine-year contract (which has since been redone) with unfavorable terms, as many young players in Europe often are. He still has two more seasons (after this) on his current deal, with a buyout clause that exceeds $2 million, which could be prohibitive for a NBA team. DraftExpress.com

Further complicating the situation is the fact that Mirotic was the recipient of an incredibly valuable Spanish passport last summer, making his value in Spain infinitely higher with the restrictions the ACB places on signing import players. With the way Mirotic is playing at the moment, it's likely that his contract will be restructured to allow him to earn closer to market value. That will likely involve making his exit clause even more prohibitive, not less, though. DraftExpress.com

 

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