What does Bogdanovic Bring to the Table?
It would be easy to look at Bogdanovic’s numbers through the first seven games and conclude that he is not worth the risk. He’s been awful in the young season, averaging 9.4 points per game on abysmal 31.4% shooting. In fact, he’s been worse this season than Galloway, which begs the question if a trade for Bogdonovic would even be an upgrade.
Firstly, this year’s sample size is small, there have only been seven games and it would be foolish to overlook what Bogdanovic has done in the past. He is a career 37.1% 3-point shooter, which isn’t spectacular, but is very solid. He’s also a good ball handler, playmaker and offers something that Galloway does not, size.
At 6-foot-6 Bogdanovic is capable of playing either shooting guard or small forward, which would be a big boost to Detroit’s overall depth. The Pistons are undersized on the wing, which was evident in the recent game against Toronto when Detroit was helpless against OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam. This has been a common theme over the past several seasons, when bigger guards and wings have torched Detroit’s defenders.
Bogdanovic could also bring stability if the Pistons decided to extend him after the season. With few good wings in the free agent class of 2020, the Pistons would put themselves in a better position to retain Bogdanovic as a restricted free agent and wouldn’t have to worry about overpaying an unknown in free agency.
Even though he is already 27, Bogdanovic’s best days are probably still ahead of him. He flashed signs of this in the 2019 FIBA World Cup, where he was arguably the best player in the tournament. Bogdanvic scored 22.9 points per game on an incredible 53% from three.
Sure, he has been bad so far, but if the Pistons are looking to buy low on a player with upside, Bogdanovic would be a good risk. If he has a few good weeks or months he might be out of the Pistons’ price range, so now is the time to pounce.