Sports
NBA Rumors: Pistons' Bojan Bogdanović Continues to Draw 'High' Trade Interest – Bleacher Report
Trade interest in Detroit Pistons wing Bojan Bogdanović remains high despite the team’s claims that they want to keep last year’s top scorer aboard.
NBA insider Marc Stein reported the latest news.
“External trade interest in Detroit’s Bojan Bogdanović remains high, while the Pistons continue to insist that they are motivated to keep the veteran swingman.
“The Pistons’ stance is routinely dismissed as posturing, but they certainly held firm at the trade deadline in February after months’ worth of trade offers came in for the Croatian swingman.
“One thing that’s clear here: No one out there seems terribly concerned about the Achilles injury that limited Bogdanović to just three games after the All-Star break. The feeling is that the Pistons were merely being extra cautious since winning obviously wasn’t the utmost priority for the team that finished with the league’s worst record at 17-65.“
The 34-year-old Bogdanović, a nine-year NBA veteran, has played for the Brooklyn Nets, Washington Wizards, Indiana Pacers, Utah Jazz and Pistons during his career. He posted a career-high 21.6 points on 48.8 percent shooting (41.1 percent from three) in 59 games last year. Bogdanović played just three games after the All-Star break due to bilateral Achilles tendinopathy.
Bogdanović landed in Detroit when the Jazz decided to end the Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert era in Salt Lake City during the 2022 offseason. Utah traded Bogdanović, a starting wing on that team, to the Pistons on Sept. 22, 2022, for Saben Lee, Kelly Olynyk, a trade exception and cash.
One month later, he signed a two-year, $39.1 million extension with the Pistons that elongated his contract through the 2024-25 season.
Detroit is in full-on rebuilding mode as the team stockpiles the roster with young lottery pick talents such as Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey and now Ausar Thompson. The Pistons could continue their rebuild and trade Bogdanović, but he’s also clearly been an asset for the team, despite a rough 17-65 season last year.
The Pistons were relatively quiet during the offseason on the player front, notably adding Joe Harris and Monte Morris as the patient rebuild continues. The big move was made on the sidelines after the team signed Monty Williams to a record-breaking head coaching contract.
Ultimately, Bogdanović can help the team reach greater heights if he’s kept aboard, but a trade down the road seems plausible if Detroit continues to wade at the bottom of the NBA standings.
