Jazz reportedly trade Bojan Bogdanovic to Pistons, taking him out of mix for Suns
Sep 22, 2022, 8:12 AM
The Utah Jazz have agreed to trade forward Bojan Bogdanovic to the Detroit Pistons, reports The Athletic’s Shams Charania and James Edwards III.
The deal ends the Phoenix Suns’ potential pursuit of Bogdanovic. Their interest in him was first reported on Sept. 1 by Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro, and ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said this week that Phoenix was still in the mix for Bogdanovic.
In the trade, Detroit is sending Utah stretch big man Kelly Olynyk and guard Saben Lee, who went to high school at Corona del Sol in Tempe.
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“(Suns general manager) James Jones has a track record now,” Windhorst told Arizona Sports’ Bickley & Marotta on Friday. “His track record is he is deliberate when making transactions. He’s going to negotiate a certain way. I know that they had discussions with the Jazz about Bogdanovic and I know they were reluctant to offer a first-round pick in a deal. And Bogdanovic got traded today and it wasn’t for a first-round pick.
“They have enough talent where they can be judicious and that’s how James Jones operates.”
The 33-year-old Bogdanovic last season averaged 18.1 points on 46% shooting and 39% accuracy from three-point range on 6.8 attempts per game. He is coming off a summer with the Croatian national team that saw him average 19.2 points over six games in FIBA Eurobasket.
For the Suns, Bogdanovic moving off the table still leaves questions at the power forward spot.
Gambadoro reported in June that the team was open to parting with starting power forward Jae Crowder, and Windhorst added Monday that the possibility remains.
Sixth man Cam Johnson is entering the final year of his rookie contract and has the potential to agree to an extension with the Suns before the season begins.
