Milwaukee — The Pistons raised some eyebrows when they announced Monday a two-year extension for forward Bojan Bogdanovic, about a month after acquiring him from the Utah Jazz.
Bogdanovic, an eight-year veteran forward, has shown the ability to score in bunches and serves as one of Detroit’s main offensive weapons. He brings experience to one of the youngest teams in the NBA and can be an integral part of the Pistons’ hopes to return to playoff contention.
Last season, Bogdanovic averaged 18.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 30.9 minutes with the Jazz. Those numbers have improved significantly with his increased role in Detroit, and he’s served as one of the main reasons why Detroit was so competitive in their last two games, against Golden State and Milwaukee — with a win and a loss.
This edition of News & Views looks at Bogdanovic’s contract extension and the Pistons’ recent matchups against the NBA’s best.
News: Bogdanovic agreed to a contract extension through 2025 worth a reported $39.1 million.
Views: Bogdanovic is quietly having the best season of his career. He’s averaging career-best numbers in points (22.8), assists (2.1), field-goal percentage (53%), 3-point percentage (50%) and free-throw percentage (94%).
Bogdanovic is 33 years old, but it’s clear why Detroit wanted to keep him alongside this young group for the next couple of years. He’s a critical piece of the offense with Cade Cunningham. He can score at all three levels of the floor, and can draw fouls and get to the free-throw line. Pistons coach Dwane Casey lauds Bogdanovic’s leadership skills, on and off the floor, which is vital for a young team that’s learning how to compete on a nightly basis.
There are only two players in the NBA with more 3-pointers this season than Bojan Bogdanovic: Stephen Curry (34) and Buddy Hield (32). The veteran Pistons forward isn’t far off, with 30 triples through the first eight games of the season. Bogdanovic’ success from beyond the arc primarily comes from the corner, shooting 56% from that spot this season. He is 9-of-12 from the left corner and 1-of-6 from the right corner.
The Pistons have two dynamic playmakers in Cunningham and Jaden Ivey and both are able to penetrate into the paint and swing the ball to either corner to find shooters, including Bogdanovic. When defenders close out, Bogdanovic has also shown the ability to put the ball on the floor and drive to the basket for layups.
News: Isaiah Stewart is becoming a reliable option during late-game situations.
Views: There are two instances this season that Isaiah Stewart has shown the ability to knock down shots toward the end of the game. In the Pistons’ season opener against the Orlando Magic, Stewart knocked down the 3-pointer with 11 seconds left to seal the win. On Monday against the Milwaukee Bucks, the 6-foot-9 center tied the game at 105 with just under a minute left, before Jrue Holiday made the go-ahead 3-pointer.
Stewart is tied for 39th in the NBA in clutch points — points within the last five minutes of a game when the score differential is five points or less — with 3.3 per game. He joins Bogdanovic, who is tied for No. 14 with 4.3, as the only Pistons players in the top 40 of that category.
If Stewart can continue to show that he’s a reliable option when the game is on the line, it’ll bode well for Detroit, because it alleviates pressure from Cunningham and Bogdanovic having to convert so often down the stretches of games.
News: The Pistons lost to the Bucks, 110-108, on Monday night after beating the Golden State Warriors on Sunday.
Views: It’s one thing to lose in the manner in which Detroit did during their five-game losing streak, with minimal defense and limited production from its second unit, but there’s a silver lining in the competitive and gritty losses, such as Monday’s slugfest with the Bucks. It’s the type of loss that can change a team’s confidence and the way they see themselves. For the Pistons to go toe-to-toe with a championship contender on their home floor in the second game of a back-to-back, and without a fully-healthy roster, is a sign of growth.
The undefeated Bucks, led by two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, have proven themselves as one of the NBA’s elites. The Pistons found themselves in a good position to win the game, despite a few miscues on the offensive and defensive ends. The real test for Detroit comes in the second game against Milwaukee on Wednesday. If they’re able to show an ability to limit those mental mistakes, including foul trouble and the inability to grab long rebounds, there may be a different outcome.
News: Jalen Duren missed Monday’s game because of a sprained ankle.
Views: Detroit’s roster rotation is as fluid as ever, now that Duren is out. His injury status caused Pistons coach Dwane Casey to turn to veteran center Nerlens Noel on Monday night against the Bucks.
Noel’s season debut resulted in a stat line of two points and four rebounds on 0-for-3 shooting, which doesn’t immediately jump off the page, but his first defensive possession should give Pistons fans a glimmer of hope while Duren and Marvin Bagley III recover from their injuries. Bucks forward Serge Ibaka drove into the paint, hoping to score a layup, but Noel looked like the rim protector of old and blocked the shot out of bounds.
On the offensive end, Noel couldn’t provide the explosiveness that Duren does on a nightly basis, but his effort through 18 minutes was an encouraging sign for a player who missed training camp and the preseason due to reconditioning and plantar fasciitis. Noel’s performance even caught Casey off guard.
“Nerlens was a great surprise for us tonight. It wasn’t a surprise because he’s a veteran player, he did what he’s usually done in this league. He’s done it for a long time and my hat was off to him because he hadn’t had a day of training camp, a full day of practice because of plantar fasciitis, but he came out there and gave us some very important minutes with Duren being out.”
mcurtis@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @MikeACurtis2