There are two types of problems with roster depth in basketball: having too many at one position or not enough. The LA Clippers are on the fortunate side of things with an excessive number of guards who can score, which is a problem any organization would love to have, and Bogdan Bogdanovic confirmed it in the six-point loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.
With Darius Garland and Bennedict Mathurin absent, Bogdanovic was moved up, and he did not disappoint. He recorded 16 points in 27 minutes, shooting 6-9 from the field and 3-5 from beyond the arc. In the process, the veteran scorer displayed confidence and determination to simply get buckets.
It’s obviously an advantage the Clippers have that putting points on the board is typically never an issue in the backcourt. But on nights when everyone is healthy, pain is the main emotion regarding Bogdanovic, as someone so talented is forced to sit because there are too many players ahead of him who deserve playing time.
Ty Lue benching Bogdan Bogdanovic is the only solution, despite his elite skillset
At 33, Bogdan Bogdanovic still has the ability to help a team win a championship. He has a lethal three-level offensive arsenal, and better yet, excellent leadership qualities that come in handy in times of adversity.
Hence, Bogdanovic was crucial to the turnaround last season and helped again during stints when the Clippers were 6-21.
Additionally, so far through 20 games, Bogdanovic has been solid. He is averaging 7.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in just over 21 minutes a night.
However, he slipped through the rotation due to missed time, and because guys like Jordan Miller and Kobe Sanders suddenly emerged, Bogdanovic hasn’t even been given a legitimate opportunity to make ground back up.
Barring injury, it’s not like one day Tyronn Lue will decide to move pieces around and experiment by bumping Bogdanovic into the second unit. Those days are long gone, as the season is close to being over; trying something new this close to the playoffs is not ideal.
Therefore, Bogdanovic might be extremely gifted, and demonstrated it in the loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, but he will remain on the sidelines for the foreseeable future.
Space is limited, and there’s just nothing that can be done at this point. The only motive should be to just stay ready in case his number is called.