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Pelicans acquire Stanley Johnson, Jason Smith

February 7, 2019

NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Pelicans announced today that the team has acquired forward Stanley Johnson and center Jason Smith from the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for forward Nikola Mirotić. In addition, New Orleans will receive four second-round draft picks (Denver – 2019; Milwaukee – 2020; Washington – 2020, 2021).

Johnson, 6-7, 245, who was acquired by Milwaukee from Detroit yesterday, has appeared in 48 games (seven starts) this season for the Pistons, averaging 7.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 20.0 minutes per game. Selected by Detroit with the 8th overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft out of Arizona, Johnson has appeared in 267 career games (64 starts), averaging 7.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.0 steals.

Smith, 7-0, 240, who was originally acquired by Milwaukee on Dec. 7, has appeared in 18 games this season with the Bucks and Washington Wizards, averaging 3.2 points and 2.7 rebounds. This will be Smith’s second tenure in New Orleans, as the Colorado State product appeared in 199 games with the franchise from 2010-14, averaging 7.3 points and 4.0 rebounds in 18.9 minutes per game. Drafted 20th overall by Miami in the 2007 NBA Draft, Smith has appeared in 614 career regular season games (104 starts) while averaging 6.1 points and 3.4 rebounds.

Mirotić, 6-10, 250, who was originally acquired by New Orleans on Feb. 1, 2018, has appeared in 62 games (33 starts) with the Pelicans, averaging 15.7 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 29.0 rebounds per game. Mirotić has appeared in 32 games this season, averaging 16.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game. Originally selected by Houston in the 2011 NBA Draft with the 23rd overall pick, the Montenegro native has appeared in 305 career regular season games with Chicago and New Orleans, (92 starts) with averages of 12.3 points 6.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists.