Heading into 2022 NBA training camp, the Dallas Mavericks are still on the hunt for some upgrades to their lineup. One player that they have been linked to recently is Bojan Bogdanovic of the Utah Jazz.
Bogdanovic is entering the final year of his contract and will earn $19.5 million. He is one of the many veterans that the Jazz are looking to trade in the coming weeks as they have dove head first into rebuilding this offseason.
Out of all of those veterans, Bogdanovic may be the most sought-after one. In addition to Dallas, the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks and Phoenix Suns have been linked to him. Expiring contracts and draft picks are on the table in discussions.
One NBA scout that talked to NBA Analysis Network believes Bogdanovic would be a good addition for the Mavericks on the wing. He would bring some explosiveness offensively that the other wings on the roster currently don’t provide.
“Finney-Smith and Bullock have made a big impact as 3-and-D guys, but they could use a wing that can do more offensively. Bogdanovic can take pressure off Doncic by creating more than their other wings. You can throw him into some off-ball actions or have him be involved in their Spain pick-and-roll sets and maybe use more double drags. He could be a great two-man game option on ghost screens. He’s more of a threat to use a shot fake and make a play or just hit a tough shot. They like to use those a lot in the playoffs.”
Shot creation, outside of Luka Doncic, was something that the Mavericks lacked at times last season and that was with Jalen Brunson in the lineup. Brunson has since departed, signing a free agent deal with the New York Knicks, leaving a sizable void in the rotation.
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While Bogdanovic wouldn’t provide the ball-handling and playmaking that Brunson did, he would certainly fill the scoring void. Adding another shot maker to the mix is never a bad thing and his 3-point shooting would be an excellent fit alongside Doncic as well.
But, if there is one caveat to adding Bogdanovic to the mix, it is his defense or lack thereof. He can hold his own on that end of the court but he isn’t near the player that Dorian Finney-Smith or Reggie Bullock is as a defender.
“Bogdanovic isn’t as impactful of a defender as the Mavs’ other wings, but he brings size and will compete. He was picking up Doncic full-court at times in the playoffs. His size lets you throw out some interesting lineups with many wings, too. Having a smaller guard out there would get punished very easily by Doncic.”
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Competing on the defensive end is half the battle and Bogdanovic does do that. Jason Kidd would gladly trade off some impact defensively if Bogdanovic can continue scoring as efficiently as he has the last few seasons with the Jazz.
