The Los Angeles Lakers reportedly are only willing to give up one protected first-round pick for Detroit Pistons forward Bojan Bogdanovic at this season’s trade deadline.
“Detroit’s Bojan Bogdanović continues to be the name most often tied to the Lakers in league circles, but the Pistons are looking for an unprotected first-round pick, at a minimum, in a potential trade, according to league sources,” The Athletic’s Jovan Buha wrote. “The Lakers’ preference is to only give up a lottery-protected first for the 34-year-old Bogdanović, though that could change when up against the trade-deadline clock.”
Bogdanovic, who was dealt to the Pistons by the Utah Jazz this past offseason, signed a two-year extension that kicks in after the 2022-23 season.
However, the Lakers clearly don’t want to mortgage their future assets unless they are going to be a perennial playoff team (hence the lottery protection on the draft pick).
The Pistons’ have gone through a rough 2022-23 season with last year’s No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham out for the season with a shin injury. That could make them more likely to sell a veteran like Bogdanovic.
This season, the veteran forward is averaging 21.3 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game while shooting 48.6 percent from the field and an impressive 41.2 percent from beyond the arc.
He’d be a great addition to the Lakers’ offense, especially since the team lacks a knockdown shooter from 3-point range. Bogdanovic would be a great floor spacer alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
The Lakers made a deal for Rui Hachimura on Monday with the Washington Wizards, giving them a little more forward depth this season.
If the Lakers truly believe they can make a title run with this core this season and beyond, since Bogdanovic is under contract for the next two seasons, they may be willing to sacrifice a draft pick to bring him on board.
Right now, the Lakers are the No. 12 seed in the Western Conference after beating the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday night.
There is still a lot of ground for the team to make up, but the Lakers could make a run once Anthony Davis returns from a stress injury in his right foot.
Bogdanovic has been productive in his NBA career in multiple places, playing for Detroit, Utah, Washington, Brooklyn and Indiana. He’s a career 39.4 percent shooter from beyond the arc while averaging 15.4 points per game.
