CHICAGO -- Nikola Mirotic knew this day was coming.
The 26-year-old forward has known for several months that his days as a Bull were numbered. After an ugly preseason practice incident with Bobby Portis left him with a concussion and several facial fractures, Mirotic understood that his future would likely play out somewhere else. Even in recent days, Mirotic and his representatives repeatedly made it clear that he was ready to move on, according to a league source. He got his wish on Thursday when the Bulls finally finalized a deal that sent Mirotic to the New Orleans Pelicans.