Top 5 NBA players headed to Europe from the NBA this season

#2 Nikola Mirotic (PF/SF, FC Barcelona)

Mirotic in his earlier stint in the Euroleague(with current team Barcelona's arch-rivals Real Madrid)

Years in the NBA: 5

NBA Accolades: NBA All-Rookie First Team (2015)

This was one of the bigger head scratchers of the NBA off-season. Mirotic had recently come off a career-reviving tenure with the New Orleans Pelicans in 2018 and then the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2019 season, when his three-point shooting along with center Brook Lopez's even longer range antics acted as a foil for Giannis Antetokounmpo searing driving runs to the basket. The Bucks were expected to sign him, but ultimately may not have due to their cap constraints.

Even without a Bucks contract, Mirotic was in for a big pay-day and would have commanded a substantial contract with any other team in the NBA looking for a stretch-big who shot around 35% from the 3-point line (together with averages of 11.6 points and 5.4 rebounds) in the playoffs after scoring 43% from deep with the Pelicans the season prior. Reports suggest he received two substantial offers from NBA teams which he turned down.

A sign of the growing power of the Euroleague, Mirotic eventually settled down with FC Barcelona of Spain where reports suggested he will be the highest paid player in Europe the upcoming season. One rumored reason for this decision has been Mirotic's desire to settle down in Spain, and he's apparently bought a house in Barcelona.

Mirotic will be joining one of Europe's powerhouses in FC Barcelona, having played for their arch-rivals Real Madrid earlier. He will be joined by former OKC player Alex Abrines. Will this acquisition turn the tide of the Basketball El Clasico in Barcelona's favor?