Nikola Mirotic and Bulls reaping benefits of his offseason devotion to strength training

Nikola Mirotic doesn’t mince words when asked how hard it was for him to skip last summer’s EuroBasket tournament as part of his typical Spanish national team commitment.

“It was very hard,” Mirotic said. “I missed those guys. And I know they missed me too. First of all, they’re great friends. They’re also great teammates. I had great success with them winning one EuroBasket (in 2015) and a (bronze medal at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro) Olympics. So it’s just hard to say no.”

It’s well-documented why Mirotic did. A restricted free agent for the first time, he focused on adding muscle and weight to bring consistency to his game. Just 237 pounds at the end of last season, the 6-foot-10 Mirotic reported to training camp at 260 and currently weighs, in his words, “250-something.”

Watch Mirotic’s game and the benefits are obvious. He has been aggressive on defense, particularly in the post. He has powered through contact on drives. His footwork has remained active despite the added weight.

“I feel very, very strong in my legs,” Mirotic said. “Going to the board, I feel great. Defending the low post is a huge difference. Going into the basket, I’m going into the guy. There’s a lot of improvement I’m seeing so far. But I can’t stop now. Because to be consistent, you have to keep working.”

So Mirotic has remained on a diluted version of his offseason program, lifting with strength coach Matt Johnson two to three times a week. He put back on the weight he lost when he initially couldn’t eat after Bobby Portis broke two of his facial bones in an Oct. 17 practice altercation.

“Two summers ago, (management) talked about being here, getting stronger, adding pounds,” Mirotic said. “But I had Olympic Games. I couldn’t say no to that. I chose to go. This summer, especially with a contract year at hand, I decided to stay. And we knew strength would be an area I could improve.

“I was a little worried in the beginning if I was going to be that fast with all that weight. But I feel great. I feel quick. I know where I was before I started lifting and where I am now. It feels good. I’m looking forward to keep working on my body because now that I have experienced that, it helps my game. So I’m going to do it more in the future.”

Where that future is remains to be seen. Despite the solid chemistry Mirotic and Portis have displayed on the court since Mirotic returned after missing the first 23 games, Mirotic’s camp hasn’t backed off its stance that he would agree to the right trade once he’s eligible to be dealt Jan. 15.

By virtue of the structure of his two-year deal with a team option, Mirotic can decline a trade. Management has said it won’t be held hostage by Mirotic’s demands and will do what’s best for the franchise. Team sources said Mirotic still will be shopped despite his strong start.

It’s a win-win. If Mirotic is dealt, it would be for assets that help the rebuild. If he isn’t, his improved play has fit coach Fred Hoiberg’s system well.

“The added strength has helped Niko a lot in the post,” Hoiberg said. “He has guarded centers on certain occasions when he and Lauri (Markkanen) are in there together. And he has been really good fronting the post. We’re obviously pleased.”

Layups: Speaking with David Schuster on WSCR-670 AM in what has become a Christmas Day tradition, executive vice president John Paxson tapped the brakes on Hoiberg’s latest positive update on Zach LaVine. While Paxson stressed nothing has gone wrong in LaVine’s rehab from left ACL surgery, he called the timeline for his return “fluid” and reiterated his first game could be with the G League’s Windy City Bulls. Hoiberg had expressed optimism for LaVine to return to NBA action in mid-January, which could still happen. But Paxson repeatedly said to “temper” expectations. … The Bulls took Monday off and will hold a closed walk-through Tuesday in Chicago before busing to Milwaukee.

kcjohnson@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @kcjhoop

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