Why the Bogdanovic extension was a brilliant move for the Detroit Pistons

The Detroit Pistons made a somewhat surprising move, giving Bojan Bogdanovic a two-year extension that will keep him with the team through the 2024-25 season.

Troy Weaver said they were going to try and entice Bojan Bogdanovic to stay after trading with the Utah Jazz to acquire the veteran sharpshooter, but I wasn’t expecting this to happen so quickly.

The trade has been a huge win for Detroit, as Bogdanovic has arguably been their best player so far and gives them the sharpshooter they were lacking.

Some fans were worried about how this would affect the Pistons’ cap space, but even with this signing, they are still projected to have the 3rd-most amount of money next offseason:

Bogdanovic would have been one of the top free agents anyway, so signing him now ensures that some other team doesn’t get the chance to, and the Detroit Pistons will still have plenty of money to splash out on other upgrades.

It makes sense from a financial standpoint, but that wasn’t the only reason this was a smart move by Detroit.

The Detroit Pistons need quality veterans

Troy Weaver and coach Dwane Casey have both said many times that a team as young as Detroit needs veterans around to keep the young guys from eating each other.

But it’s more than just age, you need quality veterans who can actually play, who have been though every game situation and don’t get rattled in the big moments.

Having a guy like Rodney McGruder on the bench is great, but it is no substitute for having an impact veteran who is out there mentoring and guiding the young players on the court in real time.

Bogdanovic has lived up to that, as he is a much more vocal leader than I expected and is a guy who has been through just about every situation after playing in Utah where he was in the playoffs just about every year.

The Pistons will get the tail end of his prime, so Bogdanovic isn’t just a warm veteran body there to be a bench coach, he can still play and will help this team turn the corner and get more competitive.

Detroit Pistons: Bojan Bogdanovic is a great fit with Cade Cunningham

Though I still think the Pistons need more talent at forward, Bogdanovic is proving to be a great fit with Cade Cunningham which is possibly the most important thing for any acquisition moving forward.

Bogdanovic can carry the scoring load and take some pressure off Cade to do everything. Bogs is a lot more consistent than Saddiq Bey, and gives the Pistons another option that teams have to respect.

His shooting is a huge help for Cade, as he creates space, and again, teams know he is one of the best 3-point shooters in the league and have to respond when he has the ball in his hands.

Cade and Bogdanovic have played more minutes together than any Pistons’ duo and have the highest offensive rating of any pair on the team.

In fact, Bogdanovic is part of three of the top five offensive pairs, showing his value not just to Cade, but to the other Pistons as well.

And if things don’t work out over this season or the next, Detroit’s options for moving Bogdanovic just got better.

The Detroit Pistons can still trade Bojan Bogdanovic

Some fans were hoping the Pistons would flip Bogdanovic at some point this season and reap a first-round pick, which looked even more likely after he got off to a hot start and the team didn’t.

Personally, I’d rather have him than a late first-round pick, as there is about a 0.5% chance any player drafted in the late 20’s is going to be as good as Bogdanovic and I can’t live on hope forever.

These fans bemoaned the fact that the Pistons committed to Bogdanovic, as if that means they can’t trade him. Huh?

Now that Bogdanovic is under contract for two more seasons at a good rate, his trade value just went way UP, not down. Sure, there are teams out there who would prefer an expiring deal, but there are far more contending teams out there who would love to get two seasons of Bogdanovic at a rate that will look low once the salary cap goes up.

He’s not a rental anymore, so Detroit can get more for him if they do decide to move him at some point this season or next.

This was a smart move by Troy Weaver, as he can see how Bogdanovic works out with the Pistons but still has arguably one of the best trade assets in the NBA.

There is no downside to this move, as Bogdanovic is a veteran who fits and can help Detroit turn the corner. If they do, he’ll be a valuable player as they try to compete over the next two years.

If they don’t, Bogdanovic can still be traded, likely for more than Detroit gave up to acquire him. This was a great move by the Detroit Pistons.