Bogdan Bogdanovic won’t join Suns for 2016-17
Jun 22, 2016, 5:24 PM | Updated: 6:29 pm
Source: Twitter
Suns draft pick Bogdan Bogdanovic has decided against signing with Phoenix and will remain with Fenerbahce Ulker in Turkey for the 2016-17 season, reports Arizona Sports 98.7 FM’s John Gambadoro.
Phoenix selected the 6-foot-6 combo guard, who is 23 years old, 27th overall in the 2014 draft.
Though Bogdanovic’s contract included a buyout — to which Phoenix could contribute $650,000 toward — Bogdanovic has motivations both financially and competitively to hold off joining the Suns.
Had he decided to sign with Phoenix this summer, Bogdanovic would be required to sign a rookie contract that under the league’s rookie salary scale would pay him nearly $6 million over four years — the latter two would be team options.
Waiting until next season allows Bogdanovic to sign for a much greater price tag, though the Suns will still retain his rights.
Bogdanovic has unfinished business with Fenerbahce, which made the Euroleague Championship but fell to Russian powerhouse CSKA Moscow. He averaged 11.7 points, 3.3 boards and 3 assists, and hit 37 percent of his threes in Euroleague play.
According to Gambadoro, the Suns felt they had a 50-50 shot at signing Bogdanovic after giving him a free agent pitch following his Turkish League championship, and the Serbian combo guard was “torn” in making the decision.
