For the first few months of the season, the LA Clippers counted on stars James Harden and Norman Powell to carry the team from beyond the arc. This was a change from years in the past, as Kawhi Leonard was injured and Paul George was no longer playing for the organization.
Powell adapted to the change at a high level, improving his scoring and efficiencies under an inflated role. On the other hand, Harden shot the three ball worse than last season on more tries. This eventually became a problem, as the Clippers' three-point statistics were much lower than the criterion they had set since Leonard and George combined forces in 2019.
Executive Lawrence Frank considered the team's need at the deadline and found a way to acquire an exceptional scorer from long distance, Bogdan Bogdanović, from the Atlanta Hawks. Though he was underwhelming for the Hawks this season, he was still good enough to help the Clippers' magnitude off the bench.
Furthermore, a key takeaway from Bogdanović's first couple of games in LA was that he seemed afraid to shoot the ball. His lack of confidence alarmed concerns for head coach Tyronn Lue.
As Bogdanović began to conform with his surroundings, confidence was not the issue. The Serbian Star was genuinely struggling to make three-pointers in his eighth NBA season, and Clipper Nation realized why Atlanta was ready to part ways.
The Clippers need an underperforming Bogdanović to thrive from three
Lawrence Frank and the LA Clippers used Bogdan Bogdanović's past tenures in the NBA as a reason to trade for him, and this strategy was justifiable to every degree.
In 264 games with the Atlanta Hawks, Bogdanović shot 38.4% on 7.3 three-point attempts. Observing even further back with the Sacramento Kings, he played 209 games and finished at a percentage of 37.4 from downtown. He has always been respected from behind the three-point line, and the Clippers expected the slump to discontinue with a new coach.
However, in simple terms, Bogdanović has not been good for the Clippers in eight games. He is shooting 29.8% from long range on 7.1 attempts and is frequently seen forcing shots with just enough space over the outstretched arms of numerous defenders.
These flawed efficiencies will only make Bogdanović unplayable in the postseason. He must improve before the playoffs and demonstrate his value before Tyronn Lue removes him from the rotation.