Mavs Interested in Bogdanovic Trade; Pistons Want Unprotected First-Round Pick?

A trade for Bojan Bogdanovic would provide Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks with a big boost, but the Detroit Pistons’ reported price of an unprotected first-round pick might be too much.

As the NBA’s Feb. 9 trade deadline nears, there’s no question that the Dallas Mavericks could use a roster upgrade or two. With that being said, though, there’s only so much the Mavs’ front office can do with such a limited trade-asset pool.

A recent report from The Athletic’s Shams Charania reaffirmed the Mavs’ trade interest in Detroit Pistons veteran forward Bojan Bogdanovic, but the potential asking price would be more expensive than what most people realize.

The Raptors, Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Pelicans, Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers and Dallas Mavericks are among the teams registering interest in Detroit’s Bojan Bogdanović, league sources say. The Pistons have maintained that they prefer to keep Bogdanović moving forward, but as The Athletic’s James Edwards III reported, the franchise is open to conversations, and it’s believed an unprotected first-round pick can pry Bogdanović out of Detroit.

Given Bogdanovic’s production — 21.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists on 48.7/41.5/88.5 shooting percentage splits — an unprotected first-round pick seems like a fair asking price. Bogdanovic is also under contract for the next two seasons after this one.

However, the Mavs already being shorthanded when it comes to draft capital complicates matters. Many have speculated on how the Mavs will be able to thrust themselves into bigger trade talks this summer when the final first-round pick owed to the New York Knicks from the 2019 Kristaps Porzingis trade finally conveys. A wrench gets thrown into that plan if Dallas trades another first-round pick now.

As good as Bogdanovic is, and as much as he’d help out this Mavs’ roster right now, the front office must determine whether or not trading for the 33-year-old veteran raises the team’s ceiling enough this season to justify potentially taking a long-term hit for it.

Playing the waiting game isn’t fun, but in the Mavs’ specific case, that might be the best route to take going forward instead of making a hasty trade. That said, just because the Pistons want an unprotected first-round pick for Bogdanovic doesn’t necessarily mean that they’ll get it. Perhaps Mavs GM Nico Harrison can negotiate it down to something that makes more sense for Dallas.

Given recent reports of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ interest in Mavs veteran Tim Hardaway Jr., we like our three-way trade idea that lands Bogdanovic in Dallas. Stay tuned to DallasBasketball.com as trade talks continue to heat up in the coming days and weeks.

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