INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Bogdan Bogdanovic expects to make his Los Angeles Clippers debut on Wednesday night against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Bogdanovic made his first comments since being acquired by the Clippers after Los Angeles' 130-110 victory over the Utah Jazz on Saturday night.
“I’m good. I know probably a lot of you have been seeing a lot of stuff earlier before I got traded, some personal reasons out, but that’s part of the trade deadline, Bogdanovic said. ”I’m ready. I’m in good shape and I’ll be ready for the next game."
The Clippers traded Terance Mann and Bones Hyland to the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday for Bogdanovic and three second-round draft picks.
Bogdanovic averaged 10 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2 assists in 24.9 minutes in 24 games for the Hawks this season. He hasn’t played since Jan. 25 due to personal reasons.
The 32-year-old Serbian knew that many teams had expressed interest in the 6-foot-5 guard.
“I was in Atlanta. I was talking with my family. I was expecting trade to happen," he said. “It was a couple of teams involved. I didn’t know where I’m going to end up to, but I’m glad I end up here.”
Lawrence Frank, the Clippers president of basketball operations, said before Saturday's game they made the move to acquire Bogdanovic because the Clippers were light on shooters, and they needed another playmaker to shore up the bench.
Bogdanovic is shooting only 37.1% from the field this season, which is down from his career average of 43.5%. Frank attributed the struggles to just bad shooting luck after examining his possessions.
Coach Tyronn Lue loves Bogdanovic's shooting ability, especially coming off screens, but also knows there is more to his game.
“He's not just a shooter, he can run pick-and-roll and make plays for other guys as well. We need ball handling and passing, so he brings that dynamic to our team,” Lue said.
In eight NBA seasons with Sacramento and Atlanta, Bogdanovic has averaged 14.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists. He also helped Serbia win a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics and a silver at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.
“I think a lot of people see me just as a shooter, but I can create a lot. I can. I’m bringing toughness, too,” he said. “I feel like I’m a three-level scorer. I can play with the flow and read the game. I just think now I’m playing with more experienced guys than I have.”
With Bogdanovic's addition, the Clippers are hoping to surprise people and make the playoffs. After Saturday's win, Los Angeles is 29-23 and in seventh place in the Western Conference. There is a 6 1/2 game difference between the fourth- and 11th-place teams in the West.
“He’s a complete player. He can do a bunch of stuff,” center Ivica Zubac said. “He’s going to help us. When the team is pressuring us, he can bring the ball up. So I think it’s going to be a big addition for us.”
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