The Mavericks have been linked to Pistons forward Bojan Bogdanovic multiple times, and have also expressed interest in his teammate, center Nerlens Noel. To this point, that interest appeared to be separate.
On Wednesday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski suggested on NBA Countdown (video link) that the Mavs might pursue a package deal for both players.
“I think the kind of players the Mavs are knocking on the door on, like a lot of other teams, look in Detroit,” Wojnarowski said. “Bojan Bodanovic, Nerlens Noel. That’s a tandem that could be in a package together. Certainly, the shooting of Bogdanovic, his ability to complement (Luka) Doncic, like he would a lot of contending teams.”
Woj added that, unlike some other trade candidates who are impending free agents, Bogdanovic holds appeal because he’s under contract for two more seasons beyond 2022/23 after signing a two-year, $39MM extension with Detroit. His $20MM salary for next season is fully guaranteed, but his $19MM salary for ’24/25 only has a small partial guarantee ($2MM).
As for Noel, he has a $9.7MM team option on his contract for next season, which seems likely to be declined, mostly due to injuries — he’s only played 37 games over the past two seasons. When healthy, he can be a difference-maker on defense, so it makes sense that Dallas might be interested — the Mavs are ranked 25th in the league on that end and have given up 130-plus points in three straight losses.
It’s unclear what it would take for the Mavs to pull off such a deal, but Tim Hardaway Jr. or Davis Bertans would likely be included for salary-matching purposes. They cannot trade their 2023 first-round pick, as it is owed to the Knicks (top-10 protected).
The Pistons are rumored to be looking for at least an unprotected first-rounder for Bogdanovic. They could also just hang onto him through the deadline — he’s their leading scorer and they hope to be more competitive next season.
Wojnarowski concluded by saying he expects the Mavs to be “really active” ahead of the February 9 trade deadline.
Mavs get: Bojan Bogdanovic
Cavs get: Tim Hardaway Jr.
Pistons receive: Caris LeVert,
Frank Ntilikina,
1 top -10 protected First round pick from Mavs,
1 second-round pick from Cavs
Lets say you are right, what does the deal look like if Noel is included?
Cavs shouldn’t be giving up anything in a Levert for THJr deal. Mavs should have to supply the 2nd
Or nothing… cavs over the cap. Levert expiring, so they could lose him for nothing and have a even bigger hole at sg/wing next season…
THJ’s contract was front loaded; it declines each year, making it better with time. You’re going to have trouble finding someone to fit in the hole left by LeVert after the season is over for the room you have left in the budget.
Cavs need THJ for LeVert more than the Mavs need salary relief.
I think a better trade, would be
Mavericks get: Bojan, LeVert, Noel and Dylan Windler
Pistons get: Cam Reddish, Davis Bertans
Knicks get: Reggie Bullock
Cavs get: Tim Hardaway Jr. and JaVale McGee
Toss in whatever picks you want here, but I think this trade makes all the teams in this scenario better relatively.
NEW YORK KNICKS:
PG: Jalen Brunson, Immanuel Quickley, Derrick Rose
SG: Reggie Bullock, Evan Fournier, Ryan Arcidacono, Trevor Keels
SF: R. J. Barrett, Quentin Grimes, Miles McBride, DaQuan Jeffries
PF: Julius Randle, Obi Toppin, Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk,
C: Mitchell Robinson, Isaiah Hartenstein, Jericho Sims
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS:
PG: Darius Garland, Ricky Rubio, Raul Neto,
SG: Donovan Mitchell, Tim Hardaway Jr., Dylan Windler,
SF: Isaac Okoro, Cedi Osman, Lamar Stevens,
PF: Evan Mobley, Dean Wade, Mamadi Diakite, Isaiah Mobley,
C: Jarrett Allen, Kevin Love, JaVale McGee
DETROIT PISTONS:
PG: Jaden Ivey, Killian Hayes, Cory Joseph, Buddy Boeheim
SG: Cade Cunningham, Cam Reddish, Hamidou Diallo,
SF: Isaiah Livers, Alec Burks, Rodney McGruder, Jared Rhoden
PF: Saddiq Bey, Marvin Bagley III, Kevin Knox,
C: Isaiah Stewart, Jalen Duren, Davis Bertans,
DALLAS MAVERICKS:
PG: Luka Doncic, Spencer Dinwiddie, Frank Ntilikina,
SG: Caris LeVert, Jaden Hardy, Theo Pinson, McKinley Wright IV
SF: Bojan Bogdanovic, Josh Green, A. J. Lawson
PF: Dorian Finney-Smith, Maxi Kleber, Robin Lopez,
C: Christian Wood, Nerlens Noel, Dwight Powell,
That’s a horrible trade for Detroit. I don’t think Detroit makes any trade where they get back Bertans. He has two more years after this one, at $17M per. They don’t have to take on a salary like that to trade BB – he’s in high demand. There are better options than that trade unless they get two first-round picks.
The Levert trade makes more sense because they would get cap space when he hits the market this year and the soft, protected first-round pick they’re after.
The Mavs have nothing of interest to anybody but draft picks. Mavs have no leverage in a trade.
That’s why they should be looking at signing a FA like DeMarcus Cousins. Cousins instantly makes the Mavs a better team. If there is no way to trade for Mo Wagner or Bogdanovic, they could sign Cousins, and possibly put the Mavs back in contention in the West.
The 2nd year of bertans is only 5m guaranteed which is kinda valuable for a salary dump trade for him
The main return for Bogdanovic is going to be draft compensation, likely a single FRP. Removing his contract from the Pistons places them $17M below the salary floor. They have to make it back to the salary floor or pay out bonuses equal to the difference. Bertans contract is perfect for this.
Pistons would get Fournier over Bertans. Unless they get picks.
People the pistons aren’t a minor league team for the rest of the nba. Reddish has basically 2nd round pick value at best right now and Bertrans has negative value. I’d rather hold on to what Detroit has got than to sell off our assets for scrap value. Let’s see what a Cade led team can do with this team next season.
Missed the part where they said “Toss in whatever picks you want here”, didn’t you? That means obviously that the Pistons will be getting a FRP.
The problem with having a roster full of players under 24 is that you don’t have many players eating up chunks of the salary floor you’re required to spend. You’re not winning with Bogdanovic, so you might as well take the pick and let your young core get more experience. Bertans won’t be costing you anything this year and probably nothing next year if you can’t find a notable free agent to sign on. Your team’s attendance is ridiculously good for having the 2nd worst record in the NBA; your team isn’t hurting for money.
DAL doesn’t have a TPE (or expiring deals) from the Brunson situation due to their own obstinance.
Predictably, either would be handy asset to have at this point. Hard to convincing deadline sellers that they have to take back long term $$ to make deadline type deals. DET is trying to trade guys for picks. Not take on contracts that extend into next year.
So here’s how the NBA works. There’s a salary cap. There’s also a salary floor. If you remove Bogdanovic from the Pistons, they are $17M below the floor. This is the byproduct of having a team loaded with rookie contracts and minimal veteran stars.
Detroit can trade the guys they view as expendable without taking on contracts, but they *HAVE* to spend the money ANYWAYS. It actually helps them avoid the same situation next year by sending them someone who’s already on the books for next year. As it sits, next year’s payroll for the Pistons is $12M lower than this year
There is a salary cap, and its hard to believe that anyone who purports to follow the league can be so ignorant as to its provisions. Yet, you’re here.
Obviously, trying to figure the cap out on your own hasn’t worked, so try reading what others say. You might learn some things, like how future cap space is a valuable asset for which there is always market to sell it for value, and that there is no penalty for failing to meet the salary floor (the team just distributes the difference to their current players). The notion that a team would seek and give value for a bad contract at the deadline to help it meet a salary floor in future years is among the silliest things said on this board in my time reading it.
Dallas would have to include two unprotected 1st 2025 & 2027 to make it worthwhile for Detroit to take garbage contracts back since they aren’t going to do it, Dallas isn’t going to have any other packages worthwhile for Detroit. They would need a 3rd team for sure.