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Atlanta Hawks Season Grades: Bogdan Bogdanovic

Grading the sharpshooter's second season in Atlanta.

Pat Benson

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At 29 years old, Bogdan Bogdanovic is one of the more seasoned players on the Atlanta Hawks roster. Factor in Bogdanovic's age with his experience of playing overseas, and it's easy to understand why he is a leader on the team.

In January, head coach Nate McMillan switched Bogdanovic with Kevin Huerter for the sixth man role, and the starting lineup's average age dropped by approximately one year and 100,000 miles. However, Bogdanovic thrived coming off the bench, providing the second unit with some much-needed scoring punch. Let's review Bogdanovic's 2021-22 season.

End of the Year Grades

Offense - A-

Bogdan Bogdanovic celebrates a made shot.
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

After a slow start, a bout with Covid, and nagging knee issues, Bogdan Bogdanovic came alive late in the season. Bogdanovic played in 63 games and averaged 15.1 points per game on 36.8 3PT% and 56.2 TS%.

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That's a slight step backward in production and efficiency from last season.  Nevertheless, Bogdanovic was the third-leading scorer on the league's second-best offense. When Bogdanovic was on the court, the Hawks scored 118.9 points per 100 possessions, compared to 114.2 points per 100 when he was off the court.

Defense - B-

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It's no secret that the Hawks' defensive rating was bottom-five in the league. One of the primary causes of the team's defensive woes was their perimeter defenders. Far too often, the frontcourt was playing cleanup, which left them out of position for defending the rim and rebounding.

With that being said, both traditional and advanced stats point to Bogdan Bogdanovic as the team's third-best perimeter defender (behind only De'Andre Hunter and Delon Wright). Despite closing in on 30 years old, Bogdanovic remains adept at playing defense without fouling and occasionally playing the passing lanes.

Development - B-

© Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

At 29 years old, Bogdan Bogdanovic is who he is at this point in his career. While his shooting stats declined this season, he did a good job of increasing his trips to the foul line and reducing turnovers (on a higher usage rate).

There were multiple instances of Bogdanovic demonstrating leadership on and off the court this season. He's quick to put his arm around teammates and equally unafraid of challenging them when the situation calls for it. Much to the delight of fans, he was often the catalyst in the Hawks' infamous late-game comebacks. Bogdanovic might be past his prime, but he's still finding new ways to contribute.

Overall Grade - B+

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Bogdan Bogdanovic was the fourth-highest paid player on the roster this season, and he performed at a level commensurate with that pay scale. While he's still producing adequately and has become a fan favorite for his charismatic flair, it's easy to feel queasy about his future with the Hawks.

Earlier this week, both general manager Travis Schlenk and team owner Tony Ressler hinted at roster changes coming this offseason. Everyone except for Trae Young is on the chopping block this summer. Have we seen the last of Bogdanovic in Atlanta? Only time will tell. 

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Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers the Atlanta Hawks for Sports Illustrated's All Hawks. He has covered the NBA for several years and is the author of "Kobe Bryant's Sneaker History (1996-2020)".

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