Minutes Discrepancy: Nikola Mirotic and Doug McDermott

Jul 18, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; New Chicago Bulls player Nikola Mirotic in attendance during a press conference at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

The Bull’s offered Mirotic a 3 year contract amounting to $16.6 million and executed a $3 million payout to Mirotic’s former team Real Madrid in order to officially sign their prize European possession.

Traditionally under Thibodeau, rookies have had a tough time earning playing time in their first year in the NBA. There are exceptions of course, but for the most part Thibodeau has stuck to this stingy script throughout his tenure with the Chicago Bulls. This season, Thibodeau has awarded his two rookies remarkably disproportionate minute totals, with McDermott getting the traditionally low minutes rookie treatment while Mirotic has averaged almost 20 minutes per game in his rookie season.