The Detroit Pistons are once again being mentioned in trade rumors for Bojan Bogdanovic as the February trade deadline approaches.
The Pistons have repeatedly said that they would like to keep Bogdanovic, as he is a valuable veteran who may be worth more to the team than he is on the trade market.
But every team has a price, including Detroit, who may eventually decide that Bogdanovic’s value will never be higher and they can reap some future assets for a guy who is 33-years-old and not a good defender.
According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo News, the Pistons have set their price for Bogs:
"“Pistons are seeking at least one first-rounder and either a young player with upside or additional draft capital, sources said.”"
He then named four teams that have reportedly showed interest in Bogdanovic in Cleveland, Dallas, Phoenix and the Lakers, who are all fringe contenders (except LA) who could use more firepower to make a deep playoff run.
None of these teams really jump out as potential trade partners, but just for the sake of argument, I’ve come up with one deal from each.
Detroit Pistons: Trading Bojan Bogdanovic to the Cavaliers
First off, I can’t see the Pistons dealing with a division rival unless the deal is too good to pass up and it’s hard to find one with the Cavaliers that is.
If the Pistons are truly holding out for a player and a pick, then Cleveland is out, as they don’t have a first-round pick to trade unless they can find a third team to get involved.
If they did, a Caris LeVert/1st-round pick might be something the Pistons would consider, but LeVert is on an expiring deal and they don’t have a pick anyway.
It’s difficult to see a path for the Cavs to add an impact player without a draft pick, so it will take a bigger deal with multiple teams to get it done.
Detroit Pistons: Trading Bojan Bogdanovic to the Lakers
The Lakers have been attached to just about everyone, but they really don’t have much it the way of trade assets that they’d be willing to give up.
They have already approached the Pistons about Bogdanovic, but balked at the idea of giving up an unprotected first-round pick, as they could be horrible by 2027 and then have no way to rebuild.
But if they want to make a run at the playoffs while LeBron James is still superhuman, then they will need to give up that pick.
This is a trade that technically satisfies Detroit’s reported demands, as they would be getting young player and a 1st-round pick.
But Nunn are Beverley are both on expiring deals and not players who would help the Pistons anyway, so the only way they would do this is if they thought Bogdanovic was not a long-term fit with the core and that Lakers’ pick was going to be a high one.
LA is loathe to give up an unprotected pick and you can’t blame them, as Bogdanovic might not be enough to push them into the playoffs, and they are running out of future assets to blow trying to chase titles with LeBron.
This would potentially give the Pistons the most cap space in the NBA next offseason and a valuable extra pick that they could use in trades, so I do think they’d consider this one, but with few marquee free agents available anyway, they might be better off just keeping Bogdanovic unless Troy Weaver thought he could use that pick in a package for a younger star.
Detroit Pistons: Trading Bojan Bogdanovic to the Dallas Mavericks
I’m sure Luka Doncic would love nothing more than to add one of the best knockdown 3-point shooters in the NBA to his roster, as he is once again a one-man band trying to drag a mediocre team to the playoffs.
The Mavs have reportedly been shopping Christian Wood, who is on an expiring deal, but a straight-up swap makes no sense for either team. The Mavericks have one contract they’d love to get off of, but to do it, they would have to give the Pistons some assets in return.
This one is interesting. Bertans has an awful contract that extends two more seasons past this one, though the final year is only partially guaranteed. It’s one of the worst when you consider his production, so the Mavs are wasting a large salary slot on a guy who barely plays.
To get off that deal, they’d have to throw in a first-round pick in 2026 and Josh Green, who has shown a lot of promise as a wing defender (which the Pistons need) but is hurt right now.
Would Detroit bite on such a deal? I’m not so sure, as the pick is not likely to be a high one as long as Doncic draws breath, Bertans is a sunk cost and Green is a roll of the dice.
This deal would be based on hope and would saddle the Pistons with an awful contact, so I’d pass.
Detroit Pistons: Trading Bojan Bogdanovic to the Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are another team that is fully in “win now” mode with Chris Paul aging rapidly. They are also the team that probably has the best trade package for Bojan Bogdanovic.
The Suns have a young player, they have a draft pick and they have an expiring contract to make the money work.
From the Suns’ point of view I’d say this is a no brainer, as Crowder isn’t playing and Johnson has played just eight games this season after suffering a knee injury. He is reportedly getting close to a return, but the Suns are sliding in the standings and need help now.
The question is whether the Detroit Pistons would have any interest. Johnson does fit the mold of a young wing with size who can shoot and he’d be a defensive upgrade from Bogdanovic, which isn’t saying much.
But he’s on an expiring deal, so Detroit would basically be getting half a season of Johnson to try him out for the future and a pick that is likely to be in the high 20’s, as adding Bogdanovic would make the Suns better.
Johnson is a good player when healthy, but Detroit really needs a lockdown wing defender, and they’d have no guarantee of Johnson returning this offseason.
None of these trades are no-brainers for the Detroit Pistons, who will likely hold out until a better fit comes along, or just keep Bogdanovic and see what the future brings.