Getty Bojan Bogdanovic #44 of the Utah Jazz dribbles by Tobias Harris #12 of the Philadelphia 76ers.
This offseason, Daryl Morey and the Philadelphia 76ers did an incredible job revamping the supporting cast ahead of this season. With additions like De’Anthony Melton and P.J. Tucker, Joel Embiid and James Harden will now be surrounded by an abundance of defense and shooting.
In the final weeks leading up to training camp, the Sixers made one final addition to fill a key role. Former Sixth man of the Year Montrezl Harrell inked a two-year deal with Philly to reunite with Doc Rivers and be Embiid’s newest backup.
Despite the roster being fully set in stone at this point, potential upgrades are still being floated around. Following the blockbuster trade that sent Donovan Mitchell to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the group of veterans on the Utah Jazz have become a hot topic in trade talks.
Many fans have urged the Sixers to make some calls for Jordan Clarkson, but one insider tossed out a different name. While answering questions for a mailbag, Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice chimed in on Bojan Bogdanovic being a better option.
If they were going to to try to make it happen for a Utah player, Bojan Bogdanovic makes the most sense, as adding a big wing makes more sense than bringing in another small guard. Bogdanovic is no spring chicken, but he’s got two-way value still and is in the final year of his contract, a potential rental option who could close games and add a bit more toughness to a group that has already gotten bigger and more physical this summer.
Bogdanovic, 33, averaged 18.1 PPG, 4.3 RPG, and 1.7 APG in 69 games for the Jazz last season.
Sixers Expected to Stagger Tyrese Maxey and James Harden
While Jordan Clarkson could provide a scoring punch off the bench, it makes little sense for the Sixers to make a move for him. Between James Harden, Tyrese Maxey, and De’Anthony Melton, there will be few guard minutes to go around.
In the past, Doc Rivers has been known to deploy all-bench lineups. However, Neubeck feels this could be a thing of the past. When discussing the idea of a Clarkson trade, he cited that Harden and Maxey might have their minutes staggered moving forward.
The Sixers feel pretty good about their guard rotation, and in any situation where James Harden is off of the floor, there’s a high likelihood Tyrese Maxey will be running the show, and vice versa. While your concerns about Doc Rivers running all-bench lineups are noted, their team structure is simply different now, making them less necessary than ever.
Bojan Bogdanovic’s Fit on the Sixers
The Sixers currently have a log jam at the forward position, but a case could still be made about going after Bogdanovic in a trade. He is a veteran with experience and will become a free agent next offseason.
With a duo of stars that garner a lot of attention, having efficient floor spacers is essential. Last season, the Jazz veteran shot close to 39% from beyond the arc on 6.8 attempts per game.
Matching his $19 million salary might be challenging for the Sixers. But if they were looking to consolidate assets to bring in another veteran, Bogdanovic could be an ideal addition.