Bogdan Bogdanovic was really good for the Kings last year and he will be a key contributor to the Kings this year. A year after leaving Europe, Bogdan struggled to get his footing in the starting lineup. During the first 39 games of his career, he started 13 of those games. Even though he was being very efficient, he was not stringing together 20 point games consistently. Once given the starting job, he had seven 20 point games, in comparison to only one in the first 39.
Bogdanovic was one of the top guys in Europe. He was a prolific scorer and had an impact as a playmaker. He helped lead the Turkish team, Fernebache, to a Euroleague championship. On their way to the championship, Bogdanovic outplayed Real Madrid’s Luka Doncic. In an expanded role, I expect much from the Serbian national. He is the projected starting shooting guard, and the Kings will need someone to score.
Pairing him with De’Aaron Fox helps both players because they complement one another on the offensive side. Fox is an attacker and Bogdan is not. Bogdan prefers to spot up and create from the wing. His ability to switch speeds off the dribble helps him get players on his hip so he can create space. The Kings need a shot creator because they have an influx of bigs on their team who will need a guy to take pressure off of them. Defenders will have to respect his shot along with Fox’s driving ability.
Bogdanovic’s ability to score is something the Kings need. They have a lack of perimeter shooting and he will have to make up a large chunk of it. He should be able to do so, and he does not have a problem taking shots. The main thing he has to improve upon is his inability to get to the free throw line. For the Kings to surprise some of the skeptics, Bogdan has to impress.