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Indiana Pacers: 2017 NBA free agency review

By Adrian Lawhorn

WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 7: Bojan Bogdanovic #44 of the Washington Wizards shoots the ball during the game against the Boston Celtics during Game Four of the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the 2017 NBA Playoffs on May 7, 2017 at Verizon Center in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 7: Bojan Bogdanovic #44 of the Washington Wizards shoots the ball during the game against the Boston Celtics during Game Four of the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the 2017 NBA Playoffs on May 7, 2017 at Verizon Center in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images
Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images /

Bojan Bogdanovic, SF

Previous Team: Brooklyn Nets/Washington Wizards

2016-17 Statistics: 13.7 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 1.4 APG

After Paul George made his exit, the Pacers were in dire need of a small forward to replace him in the starting lineup. After perusing the trade and free agent markets, Indiana settled on Bojan Bogdanovic to fill that void.

Bogdanovic is known as a knockdown shooter, but he is also a capable scorer around the basket. He appears to be a player who can be quite productive on the offensive end with increased minutes, which he is likely to get with the Pacers.

Bogdanovic’s contract is also a plus, as he received a two-year, $21 million deal of which only $1.5 million is guaranteed for 2018-19. If things don’t work out for Bogdanovic next season in Indiana, the team can go in another direction with relative ease.

There are a couple of reasons to believe that this acquisition may not pan out as planned. Despite his reputation as a great deep shooter, Bogdanovic’s statistics don’t bear that out.

He shot 37 percent from behind the three-point line last season, which matches his career average. That’s a good number, but nothing to write home about.

Bogdanovic is also thought to be a streaky shooter — when he’s on, he’s unconscious from beyond the arc, but he can also go through significant cold spells.

The biggest concern about Bojan Bogdanovic is his defense, or lack thereof. According to ESPN‘s NBA Real Plus-Minus metric, Bogdanovic’s defensive performance was ranked 466th out of 468 players in the NBA last season. Ouch.

Next: 2017 NBA free agency tracker - Grades for every deal so far

This was a pretty low-risk signing overall, and Bogdanovic should add some offensive punch. However, his lack of athleticism and inability to defend could negate much of his positive impact on the Pacers.

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