Detroit Pistons: The value of keeping Bojan Bogdanovic

Bojan Bogdanovic is probably the most intriguing trade piece the Detroit Pistons have at the moment. He’s on a reasonable contract, and his skills and intelligence would help any team, especially one hoping to contend.

Is he more valuable to the Detroit Pistons on the roster or the trading block?

Bojan Bogdanovic trade may not help the Detroit Pistons

Throughout his career, Bogdanovic has been a consummate professional. He’s an excellent shooter with offensive awareness that allows him to set picks, pop, move off the ball, and distribute when the defense closes out. He’s not an athletic defender, but he keeps his hands up and stays in front of his man, forcing the offense to adjust. He played well in Indiana and constantly improved. He helped Utah contend every year he was there.

Bogdanovic is a starting caliber, two-dimensional player. He could never carry a team, but he doesn’t rely on athleticism, which means his game shouldn’t radically diminish as he ages. He’ll be a reliable player for several more years, and his maturity, intelligence, and work ethic, all necessary elements for him to achieve what he has throughout his career, should rub off on the Pistons’ young players.

My sense is that he’s more valuable in the Pistons’ locker room and in a Pistons’ uniform.

Bogdanovic will help stabilize the starting five as they continue to improve their decision making. Start him at power forward with Cade, Ivey, Thompson, and Duren, assuming Thompson earns a starting spot in camp. Slide him to the three to play alongside Cade, Ivey, Beef Stew, and Duren. That’ll relieve some pressure from Thompson and give the Detroit Pistons a lineup with good size. Isaiah Stewart as a backup four and five allows the team to go bigger or smaller based on matchups.

Bogdanovic could be traded for a draft pick, a reclamation project, a flawed player, or some combination of those pieces, and the total return might amount to an improvement in a few years. None of the single pieces, however, would amount to the value of Bogdanovic on the court and in the young players’ ears.