NBA trade deadline: New bidders for Kings’ Bogdan Bogdanovic and Dewayne Dedmon?
The NBA trade deadline is less than two weeks away. Phones are ringing. Deals are getting done. Some teams are trying to stockpile talent for playoff runs while others are looking to accumulate assets for the future.
The Kings (15-29) are more likely to take the latter approach after losing six in a row to fall 5 ½ games out of the eighth spot in the Western Conference going into Friday’s game against the Chicago Bulls (17-29). The market for center Dewayne Dedmon has yet to yield a return the Kings are enamored with, but business could pick up if they make one of their core pieces available in trade talks.
Kings guard Bogdan Bogdanovic is emerging as one of the more coveted players on the market. A league source told The Sacramento Bee the Kings are unlikely to move Bogdanovic before the Feb. 6 trade deadline, but his name has already come up in trade rumors involving multiple teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers and, more recently, the Philadelphia 76ers.
Jon Johnson of WIP radio reported the 76ers are currently focusing on Bogdanovic and Minnesota Timberwolves forward Robert Covington. Johnson added the 76ers “have been firm” on who they are willing to make available in trade talks.
The Dallas Mavericks have also made offers for Covington, according to The Ringer’s Kevin O’Conner, but they have been rebuffed.
Marc Stein of the New York Times previously reported the Kings had tried to engage the Los Angeles Lakers in trade talks regarding Kyle Kuzma and Bogdanovic. Subsequent reporting suggested it was the Lakers who were more interested in exploring such a deal.
A league source told The Bee the Kings view Bogdanovic as an important part of the team. The organization values his versatility and would be comfortable holding his rights in restricted free agency this summer if he does not accept the team’s current four-year, $51.4 million offer by June 30.
League sources have told The Bee and James Ham of NBC Sports California the Kings are not likely to trade Bogdanovic before the deadline. The Kings remain confident they will be able to match offers for Bogdanovic even if he commands something in the range of $15 million to $18 million as a restricted free agent this summer.
In addition to potential trade talks involving Bogdanovic, the Kings are also known to be entertaining offers for Dedmon. Nearly three weeks have passed since Dedmon went public with his trade request in an interview with The Bee. According to a league source, the Kings will only agree to a deal that makes sense for them.
The Kings signed Dedmon to a three-year, $40 million contract in July, although only $1 million is guaranteed in the final year of the deal. The Kings believed Dedmon would be a good fit next to second-year forward Marvin Bagley III, but his 3-point shooting has plummeted from 38.2 percent with the Atlanta Hawks in 2018-19 to 21.3 percent this season with the Kings.
Dedmon lost his starting job after four games and later fell out of the rotation completely, although he has appeared in six of the past seven contests after almost a month of inactivity. The Kings might be trying to showcase Dedmon for potential trade partners. He logged 30-plus minutes twice in those seven games, recording double-doubles in each contest. He had 12 points and 10 rebounds against the Phoenix Suns on Jan. 7. He posted 13 points and 10 rebounds against the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday.
The Hawks are reportedly interested in bringing Dedmon back to Atlanta. Another potential suitor emerged Tuesday night when Mavericks center Dwight Powell went down with a torn Achilles. Sports Illustrated speculated the Mavericks might be interested in acquiring Dedmon and Bogdanovic in a package that could include Delon Wright, Courtney Lee and a draft pick. Stein reported the Los Angeles Clippers are also on the market for “dependable size” and wing depth.
Kings upcoming schedule
Jan. 24 at Chicago, 5 p.m.
Jan. 27 at Minnesota, 5 p.m.
Jan. 29 vs. Oklahoma City, 7 p.m.
Jan. 30 at Los Angeles Clippers, 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 1 vs. Los Angeles Lakers, 7 p.m.
This story was originally published January 24, 2020 at 4:00 AM.
