After Bucks Fakeout, Bogdan Bogdanović Signs Four-Year Deal With Hawks
The Bogdan Bogdanovic saga has come to an end. After a sign-and-trade with the Bucks wasn’t meant to be, the Serbian sharpshooter signed a four-year, $72 million contract with the Hawks on Tuesday, the team announced. Bogdanovic was a restricted free agent this offseason. Milwaukee attempted to trade for the shooting guard before free agency officially began, but after that deal fell through, Atlanta swooped in with an offer. The Kings decided not to match the terms, and now Bogdanovic joins Rajon Rondo and Danilo Gallinari on the new-look Hawks. Let’s grade the deal.
Grade: B+
This is maybe a slight overpay for someone who averaged 15.1 points per game last season, but it’s my favorite move the Hawks have made this summer. At 28, Bogdanovic more closely mirrors the timeline of Atlanta’s precocious All-Star Trae Young, who is still only 22. This contract will take Bogdanovic through the meat of his prime, and he should provide another scoring punch to an already high-powered backcourt. Bogdanovic has been a marksman since he entered the league, shooting 37.4% from three in his career while launching at a healthy volume. With the Hawks, he should have a chance to grow into more than just a shooter, and his comfort in tight games will be a bonus.
It is fair to wonder how all of Atlanta’s pieces will work together. Has the front office done enough to address last year’s leaky defense? There’s going to be a lot of pressure on Clint Capela to defend the paint, but there are going to be many nights Young and Bogdanovic are simply able to outscore everyone else. Ultimately, the Hawks are determined to make the playoffs. Adding a talent like Bogdanovic—with bafflingly no resistance from the Kings—is too good a chance to pass up.
