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Chicago Bulls Receive (after Jan. 14): PF/C Derrick Favors, 2018 first-round pick (top-18 protected in 2018, top-16 protected in 2019, turns into two second-rounders if not conveyed by 2019)

Utah Jazz Receive: PF Nikola Mirotic

Nikola Mirotic has a strong desire to play for Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder, and the Chicago Bulls still intend to move their 26-year-old forward, according to the Wojnarowski.

This isn't just smoke. It's fire.

Chicago and Utah have already talked shop, and negotiations are apparently "past the preliminary stage and getting serious," per the Salt Lake Tribune's Tony Jones. Meanwhile, Vincent Goodwill of NBC Sports Chicago reported the market for Mirotic has been "tepid" and that the Bulls don't want to absorb the final two years left on Alec Burks' deal without nabbing a pick.

Pivoting to this package would avoid that purported snafu. The Bulls could take a flier on Derrick Favors for the rest of this season, after which they can let him walk in free agency or gauge his price tag. They'll end up with a first-rounder in one of the next two years as well if the Jazz's core establishes itself as a postseason shoo-in.

Indeed, this type of protection offers no guarantees. Chicago could instead wind up with two second-rounders. But Mirotic's no-trade clause complicates matters. And while the Bulls could exercise his team option for next season, thus nullifying his veto power, they'd need to be certain they could suss out a better package from a suitor interested in floating Mirotic's contract through next year.

Some will argue Favors is the best player in this deal. They're not wrong. He's more established, while Mirotic's 17.4 points per game and 46.5 percent three-point clip have come in 17 games.

But Favors is a goner if the Jazz don't trade him. They have no business re-signing him in free agency. He's in the 15th percentile of post-up efficiency and mostly redundant alongside a healthy Rudy Gobert. Utah has been outscored by 10 points per 100 possessions whenever its two bigs have shared the floor.

Mirotic is by far the more versatile scorer, if only because of his off-the-dribble chops and three-point touch. And Favors is the superior defender more so by reputation. He isn't switchy, and his career rebounding rate on opponents' misses (21.3) barely outpaces Mirotic's (21.1).

Going in a different direction would be smarter for the Jazz—particularly when their contract situations are taken into account. Whereas Favors will require a long-term pact over the summer, they needn't commit to Mirotic beyond next year.