Jazz Trade Bojan Bogdanovic to Pistons: Report
ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski has reported that Utah Jazz forward Bojan Bogdanovic is being traded to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Kelly Olynyk and Saben Lee.
“The Detroit Pistons are finalizing a trade to acquire Utah Jazz forward Bojan Bogdanovic for Kelly Olynyk and Saben Lee, sources tell ESPN," Wojnarowski tweeted.
The trade is unsurprising, but teaming up with the Pistons as a trade partner comes way out of left field. According to the rumor mill, the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers were the probable destinations, but when the rubber met the road, Detroit moved ahead in the sweepstakes for the now ex-Jazzman.
Jazz fans may be familiar with Olynyk, who was a part of the Miami Heat when they reached the finals in 2020. The 6-foot-11 center didn’t see the court much in 2022. In just 40 games, he averaged 9.1 points while grabbing 4.4 rebounds.
The puzzling part is Olynyk's contract, which runs through 2024. He is owed $25 million over the course of the next two years, but only $3 million is guaranteed in the final year. It’s not an acquisition consistent with a rebuild, but the Jazz may not have gotten a strong offer for Bogdanovic and could be motivated to clear a path for their younger players to develop.
Lee is another player that nobody could have predicted coming over to the Jazz. The former second-round pick has played sparingly since coming into the league in 2020. Last year he averaged 5.6 points while dishing out 3.6 assists. The Jazz have a crowded backcourt as it stands now, so we will have to see where Lee fits in Utah’s plans.
Also, this adds one more player to a crowded Jazz roster heading into the new year. Utah now has even more work to do to trim it down to 15 rostered players under contract to start the 2022-23 season.
Jazz fans should be prepared for more roster reshuffling before the home opener that starts in less than a month.
Follow Patrick on Twitter @pbyrnesNBA.
