Sacramento Kings: Complete 2017 offseason grades

Bringing over Bogdan Bogdanovic

Last June the Sacramento Kings took the first major step in their youth movement, trading down from the eighth pick in the draft to acquire three assets. The Phoenix Suns sent them pick No. 13, pick No. 28, a future second round pick and the rights to Bogdan Bogdanovic.

The Serbian guard is just 25, and yet is already an old hand overseas. Bodanovic spent the last three seasons in the Turkish Basketball League, and was arguably their best player the last two seasons.

Last year he was one of the best players in all of Europe, leading Turkish club Fener to the EuroLeague title. Bogdanovic has also been a prominent member of the Serbian Olympic team, helping them to a silver medal finish in the 2016 Olympics in Rio.

With exclusive rights to negotiate with Bogdanovic, the Kings signed him to a contract that will pay him $27 million over three seasons. As with most contracts this summer, the numbers look reasonable — perhaps even tiny — compared to the numbers of last season, but inflated by the terms of years past.

Overall it’s probably more than Sacramento needed to pay, but if they waited too long to bring him over they would have lost his rights. This compromise adds a talented backcourt player to a crowded group, but could solidify a long-term piece for the Kings at either the 2 or the 3.

Bogdanovic is a relative unknown rigt now, but his international pedigree at both the club and national levels suggests he can be a real contributor in the NBA. At $9 million per year, that’s a very fair price.

Grade: B-