NBA Rumors: Hornets Could Acquire Bogdan Bogdanovic For Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Per ‘Bleacher Report’
Despite enjoying a meaningful role with the Sacramento Kings, where he serves as the team’s sixth man and one of its best outside shooters, recent rumors have suggested that Bogdan Bogdanovic might be unhappy with his lack of starting opportunities. While an earlier piece from The Inquisitr noted that the New York Knicks could be among the teams that could benefit the most from the Serbian shooting guard’s services, a more recent report hints that another Eastern Conference team — the Charlotte Hornets — might also want to consider trading for him.
In a list of theoretical midseason trades published on Tuesday, Bleacher Report recapped Bogdanovic’s current situation, where it’s unlikely that Sacramento will be able to match rival teams’ offers when he enters free agency next summer. As Bogdanovic rejected a four-year, $51 million contract extension earlier this month, that would make him an unrestricted free agent after the 2019-20 season. However, the Kings recently inked shooting guard Buddy Hield to a lucrative extension, while two other members of the team’s young core — De’Aaron Fox and Marvin Bagley III — will be eligible to re-up their existing contracts in the coming two offseasons.
Given that an article from The Athletic suggested that the Kings could swap Bogdanovic for a “defensive wing with size,” Bleacher Report recommended a trade that would send the 27-year-old shooter to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for veteran forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. As Hield, Fox, and Bagley are all capable of putting up big scoring numbers, the publication opined that Kidd-Gilchrist’s lack of offense wouldn’t be an issue for Sacramento — at the moment, the team could use someone who specializes in doing the “dirty work.”
Assist of the Night: Oct 28th
?? Bogdan Bogdanovic of the @SacramentoKings pic.twitter.com/6UJ1fJN3Ty
— NBA Canada (@NBACanada) October 29, 2019
“Despite a career scoring average of 8.8 points and a true shooting percentage of 52.6 (well below average), the Charlotte Hornets’ net points per 100 possessions has been 4.8 points better with MKG on the floor,” wrote Bleacher Report‘s Andy Bailey. “He could take on just about any defensive assignment for Sacramento and provide rebounding from the wing in smaller lineups that feature Bagley as a 5.”
As Bogdanovic debuted in the NBA at a later age than the average rookie, it was noted that he may be a bit too old to fit the Hornets’ timeline as a rebuilding team. However, Bleacher Report added that he has the potential to step up as Charlotte’s No. 1 option on offense if he gets to team with the likes of Terry Rozier, Miles Bridges, Marvin Williams, and Cody Zeller — none of whom are primarily known for their scoring or shooting.
Bogdanovic is presently averaging 8.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in four games for the Kings, albeit at a poor 27.5 percent shooting clip from the field, as shown on his Basketball-Reference player page. In three NBA seasons, he has averaged 12.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 3.5 assists while shooting 42.7 percent from the field and 37.4 percent from three-point range.
