3 reasons Knicks should stay away from Bojan Bogdanovic trade
3. Bogdanovic is just a scorer and not a defender
I can’t deny that the offense Bogdanovic offers could go a long way. He’s been lighting it up in FIBA EuroBasket this summer, but what else does he offer? We saw in 2021-22 that despite what a player brings on offense, Thibodeau values a player’s contribution on defense a lot more. Ask Kemba Walker. It may be old-fashioned, but that’s the way Thibodeau rolls, and it won’t change for Bogdanovic.
Opponents shot 49% from the field when guarded by Bogdanovic last season and his DBPM (defensive box plus/minus) was a -1.6, which ranked 166th in the league. For context, 38-year-old Carmelo Anthony in his 19th season had a DBPM of -0.8. Say what you want about advanced analytics, but the stats are the stats. Even Fournier’s are even better than that.
After being a top 10 defensive team in 2020-21, I don’t think doing anything to mess with that is worth entertaining. Not to mention, Bogdanovic isn’t a game changer in any shape or form. There’s no reason to believe that Reddish couldn’t be a Bogdanovic-type of player given the opportunity, while also holding his own on the defensive end.
3-and-D guys are all over the NBA. The talent that can be developed on the roster, or possibly added on through the draft, is what the Knicks really need. A home-grown superstar is New York’s saving grace, not a role player just making another stop.
