Nikola Mirotic’s fall from grace reaches new low with inactive status

With all signs pointing to a split this summer, Nikola Mirotic’s three-year Bulls stint reached a new low Sunday.

After not playing by coach’s decision the last two games so that management and the coaching staff could look at Joffrey Lauvergne, Mirotic landed on the inactive list. Isaiah Canaan, who had played two minutes since the All-Star break, surprisingly drew active status.

“It’s been difficult for me to understand,” Mirotic said about falling out of the rotation. “Coach (Fred Hoiberg) told me I need to stay ready but didn’t give me any expectation when I can play. I know I can help those guys. Of course I’ve been inconsistent, but that’s been the whole team up and down. To be out of the rotation doesn’t make sense for me.

“I asked (Hoiberg) what can I do to be back in the rotation, what should I do differently? It looks like he wants to give an opportunity to the new guy on the team, Lauvergne.”

It has been a sharp fall from grace for the player billed as a skilled stretch power forward who could provide offense and shooting. After leading the NBA in fourth-quarter scoring in March and finishing second in Rookie of the Year voting in 2014-15, Mirotic lost two starting jobs last season.

Now this.

“I’ve always been a good teammate, always been professional,” Mirotic said. So I’m going to stay that way.”

The Bulls aggressively shopped Mirotic before the February trade deadline. Mirotic consistently has stated how much he and his family enjoy living in Chicago.

“I really wanted to stay because I came to Chicago because I wanted to play here,” Mirotic said after a long pause when asked if he wishes he’d been traded. “They drafted me. They did everything they’re supposed to do. They waited for me (in Europe).

“For me, it was like another opportunity after the deadline. I really was focused. I was really working hard on myself to be the first guy in the weight room and working some extra shots, doing everything I was supposed to do to be ready. I was feeling much better on the floor. But they made the decision that’s been made. It’s been hard.”

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