Bogdan Bogdanovic may not be headed to Milwaukee after all.
A widely reported move that would have moved Bogdan Bogdanovic from Sacramento to Milwaukee appears to have, at the very least, hit a snag and at worst is completely off.
Per multiple reports, the sign-and-trade deal between the Kings and Bucks that would send Bogdanovic to the Eastern Conference faces an uncertain future now. ESPN reports that Bogdanovic now plans to enter restricted free agency at 6 p.m. ET on Friday. Wojnarowski reports the Kings and Bucks had hoped to agree to the framework of the deal on Friday when negotiations between teams and players can open. However, Bogdanovic is planning to enter the free-agent marketplace and seek out other sign-and-trade scenarios.
Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee reports that a source told him “there is no deal” and “there never was a deal” even when the sign-and-trade swap broke late Monday night. Per Anderson, Bogdanovic never agreed to the terms of any deal and cannot do so because free agency doesn’t open until Friday.
Sam Amick of The Athletic reports the deal “has issues” and that signs may indicate Bogdanovic will ultimate head elsewhere in free agency. Additionally, The Athletic reports the deal is “in peril” because Bogdanovic never agreed to the terms of the deal to begin with.
Source: "There is no deal" and "there was never a deal" in sign-and-trade agreement that would send Bogdan Bogdanovic from Sacramento Kings to Milwaukee Bucks.https://t.co/pvm9xQ7b19
— Jason Anderson (@JandersonSacBee) November 18, 2020
The Kings and Milwaukee Bucks had hoped to bring Bogdanovic the framework of a sign-and-trade to negotiate a Bodanovic contract with Milwaukee on Friday, but he will move into the marketplace to find an offer sheet or seek out other sign-and-trade scenarios, sources said. https://t.co/KDlBiLcaBs
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 19, 2020
As it stands, source says the Bogdan-to-Milwaukee scenario is off the table from his vantage point. The Bucks have been hopeful that it could be saved, but all signs point to him heading elsewhere ultimately. https://t.co/HrFzxKuywW
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) November 19, 2020
In the original reported sign-and-trade deal, Bogdanovic was to head to the Bucks for Donte Divincenzo, Ersan Ilyasova and DJ Wilson.
Last season, Bogdanovic averaged 15.1 points while shooting 37.2% from 3-point range while also adding 3.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. He became a starter for the Kings in January, supplanting Buddy Hield. James, a 6-foot-7 guard who is entering his second NBA season, averaged 2.5 ppg in 36 games.
The Bucks’ reported move to add Bogdanovic came roughly an hour after a reported trade with New Orleans netted Milwaukee former All-Star and All-Defensive point guard Jrue Holiday from the Pelicans. With that pair of reported moves, the Bucks would have featured a 2020-21 starting lineup that would feature Holiday and Bogdanovic in the backcourt, with All-Star Khris Middleton, center Brook Lopez and two-time defending Kia MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo in the frontcourt.
Per The Sacramento Bee, Bogdanovic turned down a $51.4 million extension before the 2019-20 season, which was offered after the Kings gave lucrative contracts to Hield and Harrison Barnes last offseason. The Kings overhauled their front office in the offseason, with new general manager Monte McNair taking over after GM Vlade Divac and assistant GM Peja Stojakovic stepped down in August. The sign-and-trade of Bogdanovic likely signals another rebuild for the Kings, who have not made the playoffs since 2006.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
