Mavericks Revisiting Trade Talks for $142 Million Star: Report

The Dallas Mavericks are still interested in acquiring small forward Bojan Bogdanovic from the Detroit Pistons, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN.

The Pistons spoke to the Mavericks about a Bogdanovic trade before the 2023 draft. Jonathan Givony of ESPN reported that Detroit talked about trading Bogdanovic and the 31st overall pick in the draft to Dallas for shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr. and the 10th overall pick.

However, no deal was made.

Bogdanovic is one of the best shooters in the NBA. The veteran swingman averaged 21.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists last season for the Pistons while shooting 48.8% from the field, 41.1% from beyond the arc and 88.4% from the free-throw line.

In October 2022, Bogdanovic signed a two-year, $39 million extension with the Pistons. He will have made over $142 million in his NBA career once his current contract ends.

Detroit, as of now, continues to tell teams it intends to keep Bogdanovic, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.

“External trade interest in Detroit’s Bojan Bogdanović remains high, while the Pistons continue to insist that they are motivated to keep the veteran swingman,” Stein wrote. “The Pistons’ stance is routinely dismissed as posturing, but they certainly held firm at the trade deadline in February after months’ worth of trade offers came in for the Croatian swingman.”

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Report: Mavericks Expected to Trade Tim Hardaway Jr.

The Mavericks are expected to trade Hardaway Jr. this summer, according to Stein. Dallas is also expected to either trade or release center JaVale McGee and not re-sign guard Theo Pinson.

“The Mavericks, I’m told, have indeed likely moved on from Theo Pinson,” Stein wrote. “The free agent swingman, as things stand entering summer league, is not expected back in Dallas as part of the many changes anticipated to the Luka Dončić/Irving supporting cast. Trading Tim Hardaway Jr. and either trading or releasing JaVale McGee remain expected moves beyond all of the action in North Texas so far.”

Hardaway Jr. signed a four-year, $75 million contract with the Mavericks in August 2021. The 31-year-old averaged 14.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists last season for Dallas while shooting 40.1% from the floor, 38.5% from 3 and 77.0% from the free-throw line.

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Report: Matisse Thybulle ‘Desperately’ Wanted to Be on Mavericks

The Mavericks signed combo guard Matisse Thybulle to an offer sheet in restricted free agency, but the Portland Trail Blazers matched it.

Thybulle “desperately” wanted to be on the Mavericks, according to Stein and Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report and TNT. Thybulle signed a three-year, $33 million contract.

“The vibe I’ve gotten is that Thybulle really did want to end up with Dallas,” Stein said on his podcast with Haynes. “This is something Thybulle’s been wanting even before this summer. Dallas has been talked about as a potential destination. The Mavericks have explored in the past pathways to trade for Thybulle.”

Added Haynes: “Matisse desperately wanted to be a member of the Dallas Mavericks.”

Thybulle played for the Philadelphia 76ers and Blazers last season. He averaged 4.1 points and 2.0 rebounds while shooting 43.5% overall, 36.5% from 3-point land and 67.9% from the free-throw line. Thybulle, 26, has made two All-Defensive teams in his career.

The Mavericks re-signed Kyrie Irving and Dwight Powell, acquired Grant Williams from the Boston Celtics and Richaun Holmes from the Sacramento Kings and signed Seth Curry and Dante Exum this summer.

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