The Utah Jazz continued its roster fire sale on Thursday by trading another veteran. This time it’s forward Bojan Bogdanovic who is packing his bags.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Jazz sent Bogdanovic to the Detroit Pistons in a deal that will see veteran center Kelly Olynyk and point guard Saben Lee heading to the opposite direction. Although Utah has prioritized draft compensation in previous trades, it appears no draft assets are included in this deal.
Bogdanovic signed for the Jazz ahead of the 2019-20 NBA season as a free agent, inking a four-year, $73 million contract. During his three seasons in Utah, the 33-year-old averaged 18.4 points on 39.7 percent from deep while adding 4.1 rebounds per game.
Bogdanovic, who previously also played for the Indiana Pacers and the Brooklyn Nets, is expected to improve the Pistons’ three-point shooting, which has been a problem for the team in the previous season. He will also add veteran leadership to Detroit’s young group.
Jazz, on the other hand, will probably flip Olynyk at some point or use him as a veteran presence during their rebuild. Saben Lee, who averaged 5.6 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game last season, will likely stick for longer. Lee has shown potential in limited minutes, and Utah probably believes he can flourish in a more expanded role.
