OKLAHOMA CITY -- When DeMarcus Cousins' season ended with a torn Achilles tendon suffered in the final seconds of the New Orleans Pelicans' Jan. 26 victory over the Houston Rockets, their chances of making the playoffs for the first time in three seasons appeared over.
But the Pelicans made a move to preserve their relevance -- and keep financial flexibility in their pursuit of Cousins in free agency -- Thursday, the day before going on the road to face the Oklahoma City Thunder.
New Orleans acquired forward Nikola Mirotic and a second-round pick from the Chicago Bulls for high-priced center Omer Asik and guards Jameer Nelson and Tony Allen as well as a first-round pick.