As the 2022-23 NBA season gets underway in earnest, teams are starting to separate. The contenders are rising to the top, and the pretenders are falling to the bottom. That said, it is still early, and if a team that fancies itself a contender is heading toward the pretender part of the standings, there is still time to make a change. One of those changes could be a Bojan Bogdanovic trade. The Detroit Pistons swingman is a quality shooter who is shooting 45.7% from behind the arc this season. And since it is becoming relatively clear that his current team is still a year or two away from contention, a Pistons trade involving the 33-year-old makes sense. If the Pistons do decide to deal the nine-year NBA vet, here are the four best Bojan Bogdanovic trade destinations.
To Phoenix Suns for Jae Crowder, Dario Saric
In this Bojan Bogdanovic trade, the Suns send unhappy forward Jae Crowder and bench-player/expiring contract to the Pistons with a protected future first-round pick.
For the Suns, this solves their Crowder problem, and they get a legit, high-end role player and shooter for two players they are getting next to nothing from this season. Phoenix is in the upper half of the league in both 3-point percentage and points per game right now, and adding Bogdanovic would shoot them into the top third.
The reason this Pistons trade works out for Detroit is that they get (likely a late) first-round pick for the future while preserving Bogdanovic’s $19.5 million expiring status, as Crowder and Saric also have just one year left.
Plus, if Detroit can get Crowder to buy into the mentor role that Bogdanovic now plays, they will get some valuable leadership from him as well that could pay off in the future for this young Pistons squad.
To New York Knicks for Evan Fournier
In another example of Bojan Bogdanovic trade destinations where the Pistons would be willing to take on another team’s problems for future assets, Detroit could trade Bogdanovic to the New York Nets for Evan Fournier and a future un- or lightly-protected first-round pick.
From a salary perspective, the Pistons could trade Bogdanovic for Fournier straight-up with no issues. The Pistons could also ask for Cam Reddish in a 2-for-1 deal if Detroit is interested in taking a shot on the once-intriguing prospect.
The problem becomes, though, Fournier has three years left on his $18 million deal. Hence the pretty valuable pick the Knicks would have to give up to get the fading Fournier off their books and get some talent in return.
This isn’t ideal for the Pistons with the length of Fournier’s contract, but if the Knicks sweeten the pot enough with Reddish and the pick, it will be hard for Troy Weaver and company to say no.
To Los Angeles Lakers for Russell Westbrook
The next Bojan Bogdanovic trade here is packaging the 6-foot-8 shooter with SG Alec Burks and C Nerlens Noel for Russell Westbrook and his $47 million contract.
In this scenario, the Lakers get depth, shooting, and rim protection. They get more bodies for Darvin Ham to throw in the rotation to try and find lineups that work. Also, if they can get these three without having to give up two No. 1s like they would to the Indiana Pacers to get Myles Turner and Buddy Hield, that’s a win for LA.
Without getting the picks, this is mostly a longer-term salary cap move for the Pistons. The team can keep Bogdanovic’s $19.5 million as expiring cap space and turn Burks and Noel’s two-year deals into another $19-plus million in 2023-24 cap room.
To Golden State Warriors for Draymond Green
Like the Lakers, the Golden State Warriors are another team that is struggling at the beginning of 2022-23 and could use a shakeup. At 4-7, something needs to change in the Bay Area, and after the whole Draymond Green-Jordan Poole debacle in the preseason, shipping out Green might not be a bad idea to help change the stale juju around the team.
This Pistons trade would have to include Nerlens Noel to help make the salaries work, but he is a player that Golden State could use, too. In order to get these two helpful bench players, the Warriors would give the Pistons Green and a protected future first-round pick.
For Detroit, the reason to do this trade and turn Bogdanovic’s expiring into two years of Green at $25.8 million is that Draymond gives the Pistons Bogdanovic’s leadership and mentorship on steroids.
Right now, it’s nice that Cade Cunningham, Saddiq Bey, and Jaden Ivey are learning from experienced veterans like Bogdanovic and Noel. But what has it produced? A 3-9 record is the answer.
What the Pistons might really need is a good old fashion punch in the face (too soon?) from a guy who’s won championships and doesn’t mess around. Draymond Green is that guy.
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