Vlade Divac Can’t Hesitate To Trade Bogdan Bogdanovic
It’s time to trade Bogdan Bogdanovic. A lot of Sacramento Kings fans don’t want to admit that, but it’s the truth. He’s a solid player with a deadly 3-point shot. However, with the way the Kings are going, trading him and getting some much needed assets, or finding a better alternative is necessary.
There’s a love for Bogdanovic in the city of Sacramento. Although, this doesn’t give him immunity from being dealt. Coming off his worst NBA season, Bogie is expendable. Luke Walton and Vlade Divac are going to explore the trade market. In addition, they’ll also look at some free agent targets, such as, Klay Thompson and Bojan Bogdanovic.
Bogdanovic has know been in the league for two years. Perhaps saying last year was his worst season might have been a stretch. He did score more points (14.1 compared to 11.8), however, did so on a much lower field goal percentage (.418 to .446). Bogie was more aggressive shooting 1.3 more 2-point shots and 1.1 more 3-point shots.
While the statistics show improvement on paper, Bogdanovic took a step back. Buddy Hield took over as the team’s scoring leader. That role was supposed to be for Bogdanovic, especially after the promise he flashed in year 1.
What the Kings need is a consistent second or third scoring option. Bogdanovic had too many off nights. He’d have 6 or 7 consecutive games of double-digit scoring, only to have 4 or 5 games of scoring in single digits. To be effective, Bogie needs to own the 6th man role. There can’t be these long stretches of poor shooting.
If Sacramento goes out and gets a legitimate NBA scorer at the wing, that immediately spells doom for Bogdanovic. It’s been rumored that Bojan Bogdanovic (no relation) and Klay Thompson are two that Walton and Divac have their eye on. There’s no point in keeping Bogdan Bogdanovic on the roster if this happens.
There are teams that will give up a good haul for Bogdanovic. The Kings could use a big man and backup PG. While predicting trade scenarios is pointless, there’ll be no shortage of players to try and acquire when dangling Bogdan Bogdanovic. He’s definitely highly regarded amongst NBA coaches.
Right now, Bogdan Bogdanovic is on a rookie deal. There’s no rush to deal quickly. Sacramento can take their time and find a deal that fits what they need. With that being said, if you can sign a player like Bojan Bogdanovic or Klay Thompson, you do it and don’t look back. Trading Bogdan becomes a bit more of a urgency.
Bogdanovic is a restricted free agent in 2020, so any new team will have the change to match any offer. It’s a favorable situation any new franchise finds themselves in. They’ll have the power to keep Bogie on their roster. The Kings need to let that be someone else’s problem.
With all the players Sacramento is going to need to extend at some point, there’s very little belief Bogdan Bogdanovic is one of the them. Divac won’t give the money he’s more than likely seeking.And if a team overpays for him in 2020, the Kings won’t match, seeing as they have a few other key core pieces to worry about.
Don’t get too comfortable with Bogdan Bogdanovic in Sacramento. He’s not a lock to stay with the team. If he’s indeed traded, the Kings will have a plan in place to add a star scorer. It’s hard to not like Bogie, but he’s expendable.
Image Source: Garrett Ellwood/NBAE/Getty Images
Daniel is a guru of baseball and basketball prospects. He’s a very experienced Amusement Park traveler as well. Follow him and his hot takes on Insta @dgentleman9288
