© Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
The Milwaukee Bucks land Bogdan Bogdanovic in this mock trade
The Milwaukee Bucks have a wide array of options when it comes to offensive firepower. With two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo entering his prime and All-Stars Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton, and Brook Lopez still playing effective basketball on both ends of the floor, the Bucks are among top contenders for the NBA title next season.
However, as the Bucks know all too well, you can never have enough firepower in this league, especially in the postseason, when an injury to a key player can tip the scales in the wrong direction quickly. This is why a mock trade involving Serbian sharpshooter Bogdan Bogdanovic could work well for the Bucks.
Another floor spacer
Bogdanovic is coming off his third year playing for the Atlanta Hawks, where he averaged 14.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game. He also shot 40 percent from deep, which is valuable for a Bucks team looking to spread the floor and open up more driving lanes for Giannis, Holiday, and Middleton.
According to Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale, giving up Grayson Allen, Pat Connaughton, 2029 first-round pick to land Bogdanovic makes perfect sense.
“This roster nevertheless needs a little more than slight tweaking. More specifically, it needs another infusion of functional shooting and secondary to bail-out creation. Bogdanovic represents both—in a big way. He canned 43.2 percent of his off-the-dribble triples last year. Among 75 players to attempt as many pull-up threes, only Malcolm Brogdon, Stephen Curry and Buddy Hield drilled theirs at a higher clip,” Favale wrote.
Solidify contender status
Championship windows in the modern NBA don’t stay open for too long. This makes it clear that the Bucks have to capitalize on their current opportunity. Adding Bogdanovic for the price tag he comes with, helps them do precisely that. He gives Milwaukee another go-to scorer who can punish defenses in multiple ways. His ability to drain threes off screens and as a standstill shooter should open a myriad of new scenarios for head coach Adrian Griffin’s offense.
“When it comes down to it, though, this is the type of acquisition that can take Milwaukee from the inner circle of title contention to the standalone-top of the championship pyramid,” Favale added.
