Indiana Pacers: 5 goals for Bojan Bogdanovic in 2017-18
By Randy Porga
1. Prove to be a capable starter for over half the season
Growing into a starter after being an All-Rookie selection in 2015 seems like the appropriate timeline for Bojan Bogdanovic as he has shown upside in each of his four seasons. With all things considered, he is a starting-caliber forward but that is contingent on his defensive prowess going into the regular season.
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For that one huge gap in his game, the Pacers may produce enough out of Bojan on his two-year contract to prove to be a long-term starter, if not at least somewhere else that is in the middle of a rebuild. It would be a stretch to put Bojan even in the top 20 forwards in the league until he can put a lid on his defensive plus-minus marks.
Given the opportunity and barring injury, he should be one of the best scorers on the team. According to his current per 36 minutes metrics, he is set to average 16.1 points per game, which is a solid mark.
The other bone to pick here is his lack of quick hands to grab a steal, block shots or even work on the glass. He should seek to improve in at least one of these areas significantly this season and that would most likely be rebounding. For his career, he averages 3.1 rebounds per game and just 4.4 per 36 minutes.
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Should Bojan Bogdanovic meet at least half of these goals and show improvement outside of his 3-ball, he should be considered starter for at least half of the regular season, if not for its entirety.