DETROIT — Bojan Bogdanovic was in his native country of Croatia on Friday when the Pistons acquired him in a trade with the Utah Jazz for veteran big man Kelly Olynyk and third-year guard Saben Lee.
As soon as Bogdanovic found out he would be joining the Pistons, he flew back to the U.S. so he could be in Detroit for the team's first meeting and team dinner on Sunday, ahead of the start of training camp. Trades are a normal part of the NBA, and while Bogdanovic is the new guy walking around the Pistons' practice facility, he's also one of the most experienced players on the roster.
The 33-year-old forward brings eight years of NBA experience and several years of professional overseas basketball experience to the Pistons. Bogdanovic said he knew he'd be dealt by Utah, which blew up its entire roster during the offseason in order to rebuild, but he wasn't sure where he'd land.