Former Pistons Player Traded in Blockbuster Deal Between Rivals

A former Detroit Pistons veteran will land on a new team again.

Jan 3, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Bojan Bogdanovic (44) drives against Utah Jazz forward Simone Fontecchio (16) during the fourth quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports | Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

One former Detroit Pistons veteran is on the move once again.

Bojan Bogdanovic won’t go far — but he could suit up for the Brooklyn Nets next year.

On Tuesday night, the NBA saw a major pre-draft blockbuster deal go down between Atlantic Division rivals. The New York Knicks acquired the veteran two-way standout, Mikal Bridges, to reunite him with a handful of his Villanova teammates.

Meanwhile, the Nets landed a haul of picks, with Bojan Bogdanovic being the lone player going to Brooklyn in the deal.

Suddenly, the veteran forward finds himself in a rebuilding situation again.

Ahead of the 2022-2023 NBA season, the Pistons acquired Bogdanovic in exchange for Kelly Olynyk, Saben Lee, and cash considerations. That year, Bogdanovic appeared in 59 games, where he averaged 22 points on 41 percent shooting from beyond the arc.

Not even one month into Bogdanovic’s first run with the Pistons, the veteran landed a two-year contract extension. He was set to make nearly $40 million during that extended stretch. With the Pistons being one of the Eastern Conference’s rebuilding squads, Bogdanovic was viewed as a veteran trade chip for nearly two seasons.

During the 2023-2024 campaign, the Pistons pulled the trigger on a deal with the New York Knicks at last year’s deadline. Detroit sent away Bogdanovic and Alec Burks to the Knicks. In exchange, they acquired Malachi Flynn, Evan Fournier, Quentin Grimes, two second-rounders, and Ryan Arcidiacono, who was later waived.

With the Knicks, Bogdanovic averaged 16 points off the bench during a 29-game run. In the playoffs, he averaged 12 minutes on the court across four games before going down with a season-ending injury.

Last week, it was suggested the Knicks would keep Bogdanovic’s salary on the books for a potential trade since he’s in the final season of his current contract. Bogdanovic is set to move indeed.

For the sixth time since entering the NBA, Bogdanovic will switch teams. His arrival with the Nets will be a reunion. Although Bogdanovic was selected by the Miami Heat during the second round of the 2011 NBA Draft, his rights were flipped to the Timberwolves, and then to the Nets. He played three seasons in Brooklyn to start his career.