Bogdan Bogdanovic is not headed to Milwaukee after all. The Serbian player never agreed to the move, meaning he is still available to any NBA team when free agency kicks off this Friday.
Before the recent turn of events, the Bucks loomed pretty formidable had they secured the services of Bogdanovic. Milwaukee was looking to add more firepower to prove Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton help but the latest update which came from The Athletic means that only Jrue Holiday is bound for Milwaukee.
The Bucks sent Eric Bledsoe, George Hill and three first-round picks to the New Orleans Pelicans for Holiday, ESPN reported. The deal also includes a pair of first-round swaps (2024 and 2026).
As for the botched Bogdanovic trade, it means that all players and assets included in the deal are off. The Sacramento Kings would have gotten Donte DiVincenzo, D.J. Wilson and Ersan Ilyasova from the Bucks. Justin James will also remain in Milwaukee for now.
With Bogdanovic off the table, the Bucks will have to skim the market once more for available talent. This is a critical phase on their end, possibly something that could help secure Antetokounmpo. The two-time NBA Most Valuable Player has yet to sign a five-year supermax deal and adding more talent to boost their NBA title drive is needed.
More to come at @TheAthleticNBA, but an update here on the Bucks-Kings Bogdan Bogdanovic situation. pic.twitter.com/mN2GOaLoKJ — Sam Amick (@sam_amick) November 18, 2020
For Bogdanovic, it will be interesting which team will tickle his fancy. The Kings offered him a $51.4 million deal but the 28-year-old thumbed it down. Part of that may be because he wanted good money and to play for a contender. He could have gotten that with the Bucks so there could be a chance that the door is still open for Milwaukee.
Last season, Bogdanovic played in 61 games averaging 15.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in 29 minutes of action. But his outside sniping is what endears him to NBA teams. He shot 53.2 percent from the field and 37.2 percent from the three-point country.
Multiple teams could make a run and try to lure Bogdanovic to their fold. Among the teams likely to sit down and talk with the Serbian include the Atlanta Hawks, Phoenix Suns, Miami Heat, and New Orleans Pelicans.
NBA free agency starts this Friday at 6:00 p.m. ET. Bogdanovic is just one of the multiple players expected to be courted by teams looking to do good this 2020-21 NBA season.
