Bogdan Bogdanovic may have played his last game for the Clippers

In every game, Tyronn Lue has a specific time for Bogdan Bogdanovic to check in the first quarter, as well as who he checks in for. Last night against the Portland Trail Blazers, he took Kris Dunn’s place at 3:59, and less than two minutes later, he was taken out.

Everyone was confused; did Bogdanovic make an error? Did Lue forget to tell him something before going in? A while after concern had grown, Law Murray of ‘The Athletic’ reported that Bogdanovic had left hip tightness, and just like that, his night was wrapped up relatively quickly.

Then and there, the thought LA must have is how Bogdanovic can return to the court, as he carries a lot of the offense’s weight on his shoulders. It is deeper than his average of eight points per game; it is the volume of attention he draws.

However, the patience limit to the rinse-and-repeat cycle with Bogdanovic had to have been broken. He plays, gets hurt, and in between struggles with efficiency, hinting that the best decision moving forward is to bench him, regardless of how many days or weeks LA has to wait for him to return.

The Clippers should not risk the chance of not being able to trade Bogdanovic at the deadline

If the answer to the question, "Do the LA Clippers want a legitimate return for Bogdan Bogdanovic’s expiring contract (team option in 2026-27)?" is yes, Tyronn Lue must keep him on the tightest of minute restrictions once his hip feels better, at zero.

In the event he comes back and is, unfortunately, coincidentally hurt around the time of the deadline in February, teams that are buying will skip over his name when glancing at the Clippers’ trade block.

They will likely want a player who can fly in, adapt to a new facility, and see what he is made of with a quick debut; Bogdanovic would not fit if what has been happening all season happens again.

If and when the Clippers understand the purpose to sit the Serbian sharpshooter, LA’s sixth man label will be asterisked on Kobe Sanders. He is having a December for the books, averaging 6.9 points, shooting 56.8% from the field, 50.0% from three, and 90.0% from the free-throw line.

That said, Bogdanovic’s tenure in red, white, and blue in Los Angeles should be over. It is a business decision that overpowers production, as the Clippers will want to swap him for an asset.