Just-In: 76ers trade for veteran sharpshooting forward in proposed three-player swap

 

With a 23-10 record good for third in the Eastern Conference, it would be rather understandable if the Philadelphia 76ers opt to take a more modest approach to the trade market this season contrary to the popular belief that the front office could have something big brewing behind the scenes.

However, with the market slowly getting injected with more talent by the week, it shouldn’t hurt the 76ers if they want to venture into making upgrades on the margins, especially if a move or two could solidiy roles and address weaknesses that could prove lethal in a playoff setting.

Which area should the 76ers solidify through trade this season?

Honestly speaking, Philadelphia does not have a single weakness that is pressing enough to press the panic button and pursue a trade at the first possible instance. With a fourth-ranked offense and a second-ranked defense, the 76ers have shown legitimate two-way consistency this season, especially when healthy.

However, one department the team could look to ameliorate is three-point shooting. While tied for eighth in three-point shooting percentage, the 76ers rank 23rd in attempts. While not destructive, it’s something the 76ers can hedge against games where Joel Embiid or Tyrese Maxey could be sidelined due to injury — a scenario that has become typical in recent years.

Thus, here is one trade proposal where the 76ers consolidate some of their assets for a widely-coveted veteran forward who can give the team’s offense even more juice.

76ers trade for Pistons forward Bojan Bogdanovic in this proposal

In this trade proposal, the Philadelphia 76ers acquire veteran forward Bojan Bogdanovic from the Detroit Pistons for veteran Marcus Morris Sr., guard Jaden Springer, the 76ers’ own unprotected first-round pick in 2028, and a 2024 second-rounder from New York.

Touting a 3-31 record so far, the Detroit Pistons easily have the worst record in the NBA and have only recently snapped an NBA-record 28 consecutive losses — a grim showing for a proud franchise that has now struggled for more than a decade.

Unfortunately for Detroit, unlike other teams in a rebuild, there really is no concrete direction for the franchise. The ownership is mum, the front office refuses to take accountability for their slew of puzzling moves, and the head coach itself is under the suspicion that he’s sabotaging the team to free himself from the shackles of a lengthy contract.

Still, the Pistons have the means to solidify their assets for the future by liquidating their veterans, including Bogdanovic who is expected to garner very strong interest before the deadline from teams currently in the playoff picture.

Should the 76ers pull the trigger on this trade? Let’s hop into the pros and cons of this deal for Philadelphia.

Why the 76ers should trade for Bojan Bogdanovic

Sharpshooters with non-linear skill sets have always been too expensive, especially in the last few years. However, Bojan Bogdanovic stand out from the rest with his bargain and short-term contract, a play style that tends to age well, and his own veteran savvy.

Bogdanovic is currently imprisoned in a Pistons roster that tends to magnify his weaknesses, but on a less featured role, the veteran has already proven that he can thrive on the secondary or tertiary. Since 2017, which includes stints in Indiana and Utah, the 34-year-old has been among the most consistent scorers and gunners in the league, shooting over 38 percent from downtown in all those years, including five season where he canned north of 40 percent of his threes on good volume.

His three-point shooting alone gives the 76ers a new dimension, as he’s particularly proficient coming off screens and shooting off the dribble against mismatches. Beyond his shooting touch, Bogdanovic also offers considerable shot creation on all three levels, as well as viability as a connector, as especially seen in his tenure with the Jazz.

Defensively, his limited mobility limits the ground he can cover, but he’s become much better on that end since his Pacers tenure. He cannot be tasked with guarding quicker players, but he’s passable at worst when matched up against forwards who tend to rely on physicality to get into their spots. He’s also a capable team defender who can blend into concepts well by leveraging his court awareness to avoid getting out of position.

As the 76ers try to shore up cap space for flexibility, Bogdanovic’s contract also shouldn’t hurt. He only has a partial guarantee on his deal next season. Nevertheless, his deal can be easily moved beyond this season.

Why the 76ers should not trade for Bojan Bogdanovic

There are a couple of big reasons that could prove as impediments to the 76ers trading for Bogdanovic. First is the steep price they are expected to hash out for his services. With demand currently high for the veteran, Philadelphia would have to overpay at a certain degree to outbid expected buyers. And Detroit is almost guaranteed to ask for secure draft compensation as they have shown stubborness so far in moving him at all.

The 76ers have some draft picks they can throw at the Pistons thanks to the James Harden deal, but dangling them away for a player expected to be a rental could be counterintuitibe to their current stance of holding off on pursuing players that are handsomely paid.

Second is the overlap that could unfold should Bogdanovic land in Philly — if one isn’t already there. The 76ers already have too many mouths to feed in the forward and wing positions who are actually thriving in staggered roles.

One could argue that Kelly Oubre Jr. on the tertiary is already occupying a rightful seat as a the resident x-factor scorer on the team. We haven’t even talked about Tobias Harris and how he’s fared well for the large part as the de facto third option on the team. Shaving minutes off of Nicolas Batum, who’s been tremendous as a utility player, is quite risky under any circumstance.

For the price tag he comes at, the Philadelphia 76ers should maintain guarded curiosity about trading for Bojan Bogdanovic. While he’ll certainly be a hell of a floor raiser to an already great team, he doesn’t really present a significant upgrde over anyone on the roster already occupying the same role.