The pros and cons of a Bojan Bogdanovic trade for the Milwaukee Bucks
By Dalton Sell
It is no secret that the Milwaukee Bucks have been in the hunt for reinforcements ahead of the 2023 NBA trade deadline on Feb. 9.
The Bucks have been linked to a handful of compelling names, but it seems like they are keeping a close eye on a forward from a Central Division rival. Action Network’s Matt Moore has reported the Bucks could emerge as a possible suitor for Bojan Bogdanovic, who has been involved in his share of trade rumors since landing with the Detroit Pistons this past offseason. This is not the first time the Bucks have been linked to Bogdanovic lately, as ESPN’s Zach Lowe (Subscription required) said back in the offseason that the Bucks had conversations about acquiring him before he was traded to Detroit.
Milwaukee’s front office clearly likes what the sharpshooter could bring to the table, and it will be interesting to see if they can pull off a deal for him. There are some complications when it comes to exploring ways to add Bogdanovic, but that will not stop the Bucks from trying. With that said, here are the pros and cons of the Bucks pursuing a Bogdanovic trade before Feb. 9.
The pros of the Milwaukee Bucks pursuing a Bojan Bogdanovic trade
While the Milwaukee Bucks find themselves with one of the best records in the NBA this season, they have still suffered from their lack of reliable offense. Per NBA.com/stats, the Bucks currently rank 19th in points per game and 26th in offensive rating in 2022-23, which is abysmal. A huge part of that could be attributed to Khris Middleton’s lengthy absence, but with his return unclear, this team needs help offensively. Bojan Bogdanovic would immediately help in that regard.
The 33-year-old is currently averaging career-best in points (21.1) and assists (2.7), as he has had an impressive season with the Detroit Pistons thus far. Plugging Bogdanovic into their lineup could immediately give the Bucks the spark they are longing for offensively. With Middleton out, adding an elite scorer like Bogdanovic to take pressure off of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday is just what this team needs. When Middleton returns, the Bucks could have four lethal scorers all in the lineup simultaneously.
Looking closer into how Bogdanovic could help this team offensively, his 3-point shooting would be a godsend. Bogdanovic is shooting 42.2 percent from deep, which is the second-highest mark in his entire career. The Bucks have not shot the long ball well at all this season, and adding one of the better 3-point shooters in the business could certainly help in that regard. The forward would get no shortage of open looks playing with Milwaukee’s Big 3, and his 3-point shooting could be a game-changer for the Bucks.