Exploring whether re-signing restricted free agent Bogdan Bogdanovic should be a priority for the Sacramento Kings heading into the offseason.
From all indications, Bogdan Bogdanovic is a great fit for the Sacramento Kings. In just his third season with the club, he’s become a key cog for the team and is coming off a season in which he averaged nearly 30 minutes per game while essentially being the team’s third-leading scorer.
However, after refusing to sign an extension last summer, Bogdanovic bet on himself and is expected to cash-in this summer after enjoying his best season to date. Bogdanovic, before the hiatus, was averaging 14.5 points, three rebounds, and three assists on 43 percent shooting from the field and 36 percent from 3-point range.
At 27 years old, coupled with the fact that the 2020 free agency class is considered weak, it’s safe to say that there will be a vast market for Bogdanovic. Even though he’s expected to be a restricted free agent, a return to Sacramento isn’t a sure thing for the young wing.
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Though, according to a report from The Athletic (subscription required), the Kings are expected to do whatever they can to re-sign Bogdanovic. In short, they plan on matching any offer that Bogdanovic gets on the open market.
Question is, would that be the smart play?
Entering the 2020-21 season, the Kings will only have $60 million in big money tied to Buddy Hield, Harrison Barnes, Marvin Bagley, and Cory Joseph. De’Aaron Fox will still be on a relatively cheap contract and there is room for the Kings to fit Bogdanovic, even if he gets offered between $15-20 million per season.
The problem will arise when Sacramento has to extend Fox and Bagley (both of which will likely come sooner rather than later). Short of the Kings moving on from one of their big contracts (Hield, Barnes, or even moving one of Fox or Bagley), I’m not sure this team should be locking up their financial flexibility in a core four of Barnes, Hield, Fox, and Bagley/Bogdanovic.
Quite frankly, they haven’t seen the results together that translates into any kind of success. Even this season, the Kings, entering the hiatus, still found themselves 3.5 games back of the Memphis Grizzlies for the 8th seed in the Western Conference.
It’s not strange or odd that the Kings want to do whatever it takes to keep their young core together; it’s strange and odd that the Kings want to do whatever it takes to keep a young core together that is probably never going to develop into a strong contender in the West.
That might be a strong statement, and perhaps somewhat of an unfair one, but despite their flashes as a core group, I’m not sure there are any basketball minds out there clamoring as the Kings being the next contender in the West.
Bogdan Bogdanovic is a good player, there’s no doubt, but at the price point that he could cost this summer, coupled with other possible extensions the team needs to make, I’m not sure it would be wise for the Sacramento Kings to go all-in on a player that probably doesn’t raise the ceiling for this teams core.