For the last two seasons, the Detroit Pistons have flirted with the idea of trading Bojan Bogdanovic but have not yet made a deal.
It somewhat made sense last season, as the Pistons didn't get the offer they wanted and thought Bogdanovic would help them make a leap as a team this season.
That hasn't happened and instead, the team has miraculously gotten worse, which hardly anyone saw coming. To my recollection, no one thought the Pistons would be good (outside of people named TRUST TROY on social media who have Cade Cunningham as their avatar), but few predicted anything close to this catastrophe.
It's getting worse by the day, which makes it even more likely the Pistons end up trading Bogdanovic before this year's trade deadline.
Cade Cunningham's injury and the Bojan Bogdanovic trade
Cade Cunningham had to leave last night's butt-kicking in the second quarter with a strained left knee. The Pistons haven't been good with Cunningham, so without him, they may find depths unlike any we've ever seen in the NBA. Another 28-game losing streak is on the table.
They can't even pretend they are still trying to win games (not that it would matter if they were) without their best player, and Cade was one of the strongest reasons to keep Bojan around, as Cunningham's play has excelled with Bogdanovic back in the lineup.
If Cunningham has to miss any amount of time, they may as well trade Bogdanovic now, as Cade won't be around for him to help and the team needs to get something for the only trade asset they have.
One recent proposal could help make up for Cunningham's absence, get the Pistons a few assets and help the Lakers at the same time, though helping LA is not a bonus.
Detroit Pistons trade of Bojan Bogdanovic to the Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers are a team that could use Bogdanovic's services, as they have the 23rd-ranked offense in the league, are just 26th in 3-point percentage and are tied with the Pistons for dead last when it comes to 3-pointers made per game.
Bogdanovic has flaws, but he can still score and would be a nice fit on a team with two guys who draw constant double teams.
Our old friend Zach Buckley at Bleacher Report came up with a trade that would help both teams:
This trade would give the Lakers another shooter without having to take on any long-term financial obligations, as Bogdanovic's contract can be bought out at the end of the season. Even if they wanted to keep him, Bogdanovic is on a value deal for his production.
The Pistons would get the first-round pick they covet (even though it is a long way off), a scorer in D'Angelo Russell and a project wing to develop.
So would this be enough to trade Bojan Bogdanovic?
Grade the trade: Bojan Bogdanovic to the Lakers
The Pistons have paid lip service to "being competitive" and said that they have no plans to trade Bogdanovic. On a well-run team, I would think this was just posturing, as it's obvious that the worst team in the league doesn't need a guy like Bogdanovic, at least not right now.
But with the Pistons you never know, at this point, I wouldn't rule out Troy Weaver extending Bogdanovic into a max deal.
But if he does finally give in, this deal represents about as much as the Pistons could hope to get for a 34-year-old who doesn't defend.
D'Angelo Russell can slide into the starting five in place of or with Cade Cunningham or come off the bench and be the primary scoring option. Russell has his flaws, namely that he doesn't defend, but he's at least a proven player with an NBA skill.
He does have only a player option for next season, so if he wants to leave, the Pistons pick up another $18 million in cap space.
They also get a first-round pick in a year when LeBron James may have finally retired and the Lakers could be rebuilding themselves.
Jalen Hood-Schifino was the 17th pick in last year's draft, so the Pistons are also getting a project wing who can defend and make plays. The Lakers were high on him early in the season and the Pistons desperately need depth on the wing.
He's on a minimum deal and would basically replace Isaiah Livers next season and into the future.
Given where the Pistons are right now, it's time to pivot to the future, especially if Cade Cunningham is out, which means trading Bojan Bogdanovic, and they're unlikely to find a better deal than this.