Option #2: Bogdan Bogdanovic, Sacramento Kings
The Kings are going nowhere fast. At 15-25 they are the third-worst team in the Western Conference and should be in full-on sell mode by this upcoming trade deadline. A name on the Kings that has been heavily linked to the 76ers this season (and last season for that matter) is shooting guard Bogdan Bogdanovic.
Bogdanovic, simply put, is a shooter. A career 37.7% shooter from beyond the arc, Bogdan has made a living off being able to hit jumpers on a consistent basis. He’s currently averaging close to 7 three-point attempts per game and has seen his points per game average rise to a career-best of 14.5.
Bogdanovic signed a three-year extension with the Kings back in 2017 and is currently due to become a restricted free agent this offseason. With a cap hit of over $16 million if the Kings do place a qualifying offer on the guard, it seems unlikely that he’ll remain in Sacramento.
The Kings handed out over $100 million dollars to Buddy Hield this summer and spent a top draft pick on De’Aaron Fox. Those two are pretty blatantly the future of their organization. Opting to pay yet another guard would make little sense, especially considering they’ve gotten next to zero production from any bigs recently.
Proposed Trade
Sacramento Receives: Al Horford, 2020 2021 1st Round Pick (76ers), and 2020 2nd Round Pick (Hawks)”
Philadelphia Receives: Bogdan Bogdanovic, Dwayne Dedmon, Wenyen Gabriel
The Kings should like this offer for a few reasons. First, they get Al Horford. Despite Horford’s ill fit in Philly, he’s definitely a better overall player than Bogdanovic. The potential to pair up a 5x All-Star center with their two young guards should be too enticing to pass on.
Second, the Kings get to dump Dwayne Dedmon. Dedmon was supposed to be an important signing for the Kings this offseason, but it just hasn’t worked out. He submitted a very public trade request less than 40 games into his time in Sacramento.
Finally, the team avoids losing Bogdanovic for nothing. Bogdanovic most likely will be walking away from the team either this offseason or the following. Moving him for assets now salvages some level of value.
For Philadelphia, this would be a big-time overpay. They’d be giving up quite a bit for a player who in all honesty is just a role player. However, the sooner the Sixers bite the bullet on this Al Horford disaster, the better. Bogdanovic provides some much-needed shooting to the roster and would seriously open things up for Simmons and Embiid down low.
Dedmon’s contract is gross ($40mil/3 years), but it should be relatively easy to convince a team to trade for the veteran big (with a draft pick attached to him). Or, Philly could utilize him as the primary center while Embiid rehabs, and then as the main backup over Kyle O’Quinn later in the year.
Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Continued on the next page: “Three Team Deal”
