Injuries to Jabari Parker , Joel Embiid, and Julius Randle have made Andrew Wiggins the front runner for rookie of the year honors. One tweet even said, “Andrew Wiggins has serious bounce.”

Well, a serious investigation should be launched if Nikola Mirotic isn’t adjudged the NBA’s foremost rookie in 2014-15. The 23rd overall pick by Houston in 2011, Mirotic was immediately traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves, and then to the Bulls even before Draft Day had concluded. He stayed in Spain, playing with Real Madrid, an organization he had joined as a 17-year-old. Last summer, he was ready to sign a three-year, $16.6 million contract with Chicago, which also bought out his Real Madrid contract for another $3 million. Forced to play regularly because of injuries to Joakim Noah, Jimmy Butler and Taj Gibson, Mirotic has shown he is a player. Since he’s 24 years old, some of the numbers guys may think he is too old. In my mind, it is not even close. He can play.