All of the NBA’s general managers are looking to maximize value. That doesn’t strictly mean landing the best players. It means having the best players on the least expensive contracts possible. After all, nobody likes to have dead money on their books. That limits a team’s roster construction moving forward.
Last season, Evan Fournier was dead money for the New York Knicks. Fournier makes a hefty sum, and he isn’t even able to get on the floor. Somewhere along the line, the Knicks lost trust in him. Given his contract, that was an unfortunately costly decision.
Will the Atlanta Hawks suffer the same fate after extending Bogdan Bogdanovic? Time will tell. This organization inked him to a major long-term contract this summer. Bogdanovic is good, but he feels like a risk to end up looking like a bad value contract. Would the Knicks be interested in taking him on?
The Trade Proposal
Atlanta Hawks Receive: G/F Evan Fournier
New York Knicks Receive: G/F Bogdan Bogdanovic
With that said, nobody’s ever given a contract under the pretense that it might be a bad one. Somewhere along the line, they earned that contract. That’s as true in life as it is in the NBA. We’ve all had that overpaid co-worker. He doesn’t deserve that money, but somehow, he convinced somebody that he did.
At one time, Fournier was a dynamic offensive player. He’s never been a star, but Fournier was an elite floor spacer who could also create offense when asked to do so. Somewhere along the line, his defensive limitations started to outweigh his offensive abilities. Before we knew it, the Knicks wouldn’t play him at all.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Bogdan Bogdanovic, Atlanta Hawks & New York Knicks Updates
What’s next for Fournier? Time will tell. By all accounts, he’d like to play on a different team next season. Apparently, Fournier feels like he’s got something left in the tank. Should the Hawks find out?
Why The Atlanta Hawks Do The Deal
It’s unlikely that Fournier will be as impactful as Bogdanovic next season. With that in mind, some Hawks fans won’t like this deal. In all fairness, this team should have win-now aspirations in 2023-24.
With that in mind, they should monitor Bogdanovic. If he’s surpassing expectations, they may want to hang onto him. If he’s falling short of expectations, the Knicks may not be interested. Let’s assume that Bogdanovic is roughly meeting expectations. There’s no polite way to say this: in that event, the Hawks overpaid him this summer.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Bogdan Bogdanovic, Atlanta Hawks & New York Knicks Updates
Here, they’re getting off of his contract. The Hawks have a known interest in clearing cap space. With that in mind, they should like Fournier’s expiring deal. Besides, who knows? Fournier could make up a portion of Bogdanovic’s production next season. Should the Knicks risk watching him thrive elsewhere?
Why The New York Knicks Do The Deal
If the Knicks are as concerned with cap flexibility as the Hawks apparently are, they’ll pass on this deal too. Bogdanovic is locked up for the foreseeable future. So, here’s the question: Should the Knicks be more concerned with cap space than roster quality?
No. Besides, let’s not overstate Bogdanovic’s price tag. This is a mid-level contract. Even if he’s overpaid, he can be included in a package for a star. This is not the type of contract that will destroy a team’s flexibility, even if it limits them somewhat.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Bogdan Bogdanovic, Atlanta Hawks & New York Knicks Updates
Finally, Bogdanovic should be a more productive player than Fournier next year. The Knicks could use a scoring punch with their second unit, and Bogdanovic can provide it. Even if he’s not a value contract, that’s got some value.
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