Suns Bogdan Bogdanovic agrees to join NBA next year
The Phoenix Suns took three first-round selections in the 2014 NBA Draft. One of those first-rounders, Bogdan Bogdanovic will not be playing with the team for the upcoming season.
Suns and Bogdan Bogdanovic have agreed in writing that he will not join this season, therefore his cap hold for the 2015 season is expunged.
More from NBA
- NBA insider: Cavaliers should consider trading Donovan Mitchell
- NBA rumors: Hawks trade candidate, Sixers miss out, Lakers almost lose Reaves
- NBA insider explains real reason the Grizzlies were done with Dillon Brooks
- Knicks projected lineup and rotations heading into 2023-24 season
- Rockets projected lineup and rotations heading into 2023-24 season
As Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com points out, this move is driven by finances. The agreement in writing to which Deeks is referring will prevent Bogdanovic’s contract counting against the Suns cap during the 2014-15 season. While their other two first-rounders, Tyler Ennis and T.J. Warren will take up a significant amount of cap space, Bogdanovic will not burden the cap and can continue to develop as a prospect. The addition of Bogdanovic, as suggested by Dan Feldman of Pro Basketball Talk, may have taken the Suns out of the running to sign a major free agent during this offseason.
They may not be in contention for Carmelo Anthony or LeBron James, but this year’s free agency crop is a deep and talented pool. Once Anthony and James sign, the rest of the free agency dominos will fall quickly. They Suns are likely making this move with that in mind.
Feldman also suggested that this deal may have been prearranged before the selection was made. “They might have even chosen him over prospects they rated higher in a vacuum because he signed this letter.” With two solid young players already in the bag, the Suns have the liberty of putting their third on the back burner till next year.