The Los Angeles Lakers seem to be having a tough time this season. After missing the playoffs twice in a row, the NBA world expected the 17x NBA champs to bounce back stronger than ever. Jeannie Buss and Rob Pelinka hired a new head coach in Darvin Ham to rebuild their project as well. Although the Lakers might be a huge jump for Darvin Ham, he has done quite decent, considering the Lakers’ roster.
Speaking of their roster, the rebuilding aspect has been missing from the franchise. They were not active in the market in the summer and only managed to acquire Patrick Beverley, which caused quite a commotion among NBA fans as well. This time around, they have not managed to sign any player, which is a major concern for Lakers fans considering the trade deadline is just a few weeks away.
With that said, the Lakers have been linked to almost every potential target. And it is no surprise that Detroit Pistons superstar Bojan Bogdanovic is also one of them. The Croatian player has been having the best season of his career and is one of the most-talked-about players in the league right now.
Will Bojan Bogdanovic be traded to the LA Lakers?
According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Lakers are one of the teams who are reportedly after Bojan. He also mentioned that the Dallas Mavericks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Milwaukee Bucks admire Bojan’s phenomenal numbers this season.
“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.”
— via @ShamsCharania
— Jack Kelly (@jack_kelly_313) January 18, 2023
There would be no mistake in assuming that the Pistons should look to let go of the Croatian. Considering his age (33), Bojan has outperformed every player on the Pistons roster. He currently averages 21.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in the 2022-23 NBA season. He certainly has been one of the players to surprise us this year.
There is a reason why the Lakers are reported to be interested in the Pistons star. At his age, he isn’t expected to be in his prime for much longer. There have been doubts about whether the California-based franchise will even make the playoffs this season. The worries have grown bigger since Anthony Davis’ injury as well. With that said, the Lakers are looking for a short-term solution, which could be Bojan.
Reports claim that the Pistons might be tempted to let Bojan go if they see an offer inclusive of an unprotected first-round pick. There is a chance that the Lakers do not go for the move, as recent reports emerged mentioning the Lakers board believes the price for Bojan was too high, according to Marc Stein. It certainly looks like his current contract for $39 million scares the Lakers board as well, considering how high their payroll is.
There isn’t a definite answer to whether the Lakers will go for Bojan before the deadline on February 9, 2023. However, that might mean they could look to make it happen in the offseason as well. It all depends on the Pistons’ asking price. The cap space they have at the end of the season will play a role as well.
Whatever the case, LeBron James will be aiming to have one final shot at the NBA title this season. Considering how they have performed, it starts to look more and more unlikely. LeBron has expressed disappointment with the Lakers’ lack of involvement in the past as well. NBA fans would have to wait and see how this plays out.
