NBA Rumors: Bojan Bogdanovic likely to join Luka Doncic on Mavericks this summer
Bojan Bogdanovic may not have the opportunity to adjust to newly appointed coach Monty Williams' system in Detroit. According to the latest rumors, Bogdanovic could be headed to join Slovenian superstar Luka Doncic in Dallas next season.
The reports come from DraftExpress, who said that the Mavericks could be working to trade Tim Hardaway Jr. and the 10th overall pick in this year's draft. In exchange, the team would pick up a key role player in Bogdanovic, who is eager to help a team compete for a title.
After spending three seasons in Utah, helping the team make a playoff push alongside Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, Bogdanovic was traded to Detroit. There, he averaged a career-high last season with 21.6 points per game. Although the Pistons finished the year with the worst record in the East, his play earned him praise.
With a new coach in Monty Williams, the expectation was that the team would look to keep him around for the final year of his deal. Now, however, it sounds as though Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is eager to make good on his promise to Luka Doncic to help bolster the team's roster.
So far, the potential trade has garnered mixed reactions from the NBA community, with some Mavericks fans pleading with Cuban not to do the trade. Others have questioned the legitimacy of the rumors, saying nothing has happened to back up the rumors quite yet.
Looking at how Bojan Bogdanovic fits in with the Dallas Mavericks' plans
Late last season, Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks struggled. The team slipped out of the postseason standings toward the end of the year and wound up failing to make the play-in tournament.
As Doncic explained, he simply wasn't having the same amount of fun as he usually does on the court. While he and Kyrie Irving seemed to be getting along together, the pair need some help when it comes to depth. Enter Bojan Bogdanovic.
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Although he brings a $20 million price tag with him, with one year left on his deal, the Mavericks could look to go all-in on a big season. At the same time, it seems as though the big concern among Mavericks fans when it comes to the trade is Tim Hardaway Jr.
Time and time again, Hardaway Jr. has shown that he has what it takes to impact winning at a high level. Considering he is younger than Bojan Bogdanovic, and he has two years remaining on his deal, the Mavericks may wind up being hesitant to trade him when push comes to shove.
With the draft rapidly approaching on June 22, only time will tell how things play out.