Rate the Trade: Bojan Bogdanovic to the LA Clippers

It has been an up and down season for the LA Clippers, who at present sit at 21-16. That report is nice for 4th-place within the Western Convention, however with the standings so congested, seeding shifts every day. Having been fully-healthy for simply 4 video games all season, the Clippers can really feel respectable about the place they sit because the calendar turns to 2023, however they’re actually trying to enhance because the season grows older.

The primary means the Clippers hope to enhance because the season goes on is instantly tied to their general well being, however one other means is thru the commerce market. One title that was just lately introduced up by ESPN’s Zach Lowe, was Bojan Bogdanovic of the Detroit Pistons.

By means of 36 video games with the Pistons this season, Bogdanovic is averaging 20.7 PPG on 48/40/90 splits. He’s seemingly a chief commerce candidate for a Pistons crew that isn’t able to compete this season, however having signed an extension by means of the 2024-25 season with Detroit, Bogdanovic isn’t the everyday veteran piece on a nasty crew. There’s a distinctive factor to his availability within the commerce market, as a result of if Detroit does view him as a core piece to a possible playoff push within the subsequent few seasons, they’ve far more leverage in commerce discussions than they might have if his deal was expiring this summer season.

Boasting one of many deepest rosters in basketball, the Clippers have been unable to seek out massive minutes for all of their deserving gamers to this point this season. After re-signing Robert Covington in the summertime, the veteran ahead has fallen out of the rotation completely, and he’s not the one Clipper who has seen their function decreased from final season.

After averaging a career-high 28.6 minutes per sport final season, versatile wing Terance Mann has seen his minutes drop again down to simply 21.0 per sport this 12 months. Sharpshooting guard Luke Kennard has seen his minutes lower as effectively, going from 27.4 per sport final 12 months to simply 22.3 per sport this 12 months.

Tendencies just like these persist all the way in which down the Clippers’ roster, which is considerably predictable with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George rejoining the fold, however they do elevate some questions on how the crew would possibly method the commerce deadline. Ought to they see it essential to release extra minutes for his or her deserving gamers, whereas additionally making a expertise improve on the identical time, a commerce for Bogdanovic may make sense.

The Clippers have engaging younger items, future draft compensation, and expiring offers that would make a commerce with Detroit potential. John Wall’s title is one which has already come up in commerce rumors across the league, as his $6.5M wage this season with a crew possibility for subsequent season is a perfect mathematical piece in a number of potential offers. When paired with Robert Covington’s $12.3M wage, a deal for a participant like Bogdanovic already turns into workable from a wage standpoint.

Whereas two veteran gamers like Wall and Covington wouldn’t be sufficient to pry Bogdanovic from the Pistons, the addition of a younger participant like Brandon Boston Jr. together with future draft compensation may get the 2 sides nearer.

As beforehand talked about, the Clippers have been unable to seek out minutes for Robert Covington to this point this season, and impactful gamers like Luke Kennard and Terance Mann have seen their roles decreased as effectively. Packaging Wall and Covington for a participant like Bogdanovic provides the Clippers a transparent expertise improve whereas additionally releasing up extra guard minutes on the identical time. It feels unlikely that such a transfer could be the one one the Clippers make at this 12 months’s deadline, particularly with their backup middle state of affairs remaining unaddressed, nevertheless it is sensible why Bogdanovic has come up as a possible goal.