The Phoenix Suns select Bogdan Bogdanovic (R) as the 27th overall pick in 2014. (Photo : Getty Images)
The Phoenix Suns are planning to bring their 2014 pick Bogdan Bogdanovic to the NBA next season after the shooting guard's team, Fenerbahçe Istanbul, lost the Euroleague title to CSKA Moscow on Sunday.
Phoenix owns the rights to Bogdanovic, who they selected 27th overall during the 2014 NBA Draft, even as he is a current player of the said Turkish club. The Suns can sign the 23-year-old outside shooter this summer because he has an NBA-opt out clause in his contract with Fenerbahçe at the end of this season, according to ESPN.
Bogdanovic had a quiet night of six points, three boards, and three assists during Fenerbahçe's 101-96 loss to the Red Army in the 2016 Euroleague Final. However, he may not get to redeem himself from that lackluster Euroleague performance as the NBA is already calling him to come.
The Arizona Republic reported that Phoenix is keen on adding Bogdanovic to their roster next season to strengthen their current backcourt lineup which includes Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight as starters and Devin Booker, Ronnie Price, and Archie Goodwin as the main bench players.
General manager Ryan McDonough and head coach Earl Watson are said to be on their way to Europe "to meet with Bogdanovic once his team's season is done in the Turkish League". The Navy Blue-Yellows are currently in the second spot of the overall standings with a 24-6 record at the end of the regular season.
Bogdanovic leads the team in the Turkish Basketball Super League with averages of 14.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.7 assists and also shoots 46.3 percent from outside the three-point line. In the Euroleague, his averages are 11.6 points, 3.3 boards, and 3.0 dimes in 27.6 minutes of playing time per game.
Fenerbahçe is set to compete in the coming TBL playoffs as the second-seed squad. They will face Muratbey Uşak Sportif in the first round of competitions.
Fenerbahçe acquired Bogdanovic in the summer of 2014 after signing him to a four-year contract worth €3.5 million ($4 million). His former team, Partizan Belgrade, received a €1.3 million ($1.5 million) fee for the transfer as he is still under contract with the Serbian club at that time.
