Atlanta Hawks 2023-24 Season Review: Bogdan Bogdanovic

In what was likely one of his healthiest seasons as a member of the Atlanta Hawks, Bogdan Bogdanovic continued to shoot with accuracy and may have been snubbed as a sixth man candidate in the year.

After an injury-riddled season that saw him on the field for just 54 games last season, Bogdanovic returned this season and played in 79 games, the most he has ever played in his career. To add to that, he finished 43rd in the league in total minutes played.

Participating in the FIBA ​​World Cup this summer was the first step for Bogdanovic, and he had several good games for Serbia. His strong play carried through the Hawks’ season, coming off the bench and being the spark the second unit needed. With the Hawks not having a very efficient 3-point shot in the starting lineup, when Bogdanovic took the court that changed, especially when Trae Young was still on the floor.

Beyond his perimeter shots, Bogdanovic found a way to get in the middle of the defense, stop for mid-range shots and attack the paint. He was always a player that wasn’t afraid to shoot either, and it didn’t matter if a hand was in front of his face or not, he was going to knock the shot down.

It was a good thing Bogdanovic was healthy all season, because if he wasn’t, things could have been really different for the Hawks. With Bogdanovic on the bench, the Hawks had a net rating of -8.0, but when he was on the court, they had a better rating of 9.9 points per 100 possessions. Having a full season under Quin Snyder and his system must have been a good thing, especially since he was able to make a lot more three-pointers. He averaged a career-high in three-point attempts with 8.1 per game.

Towards the end of the season, Bogdanovic had to abandon his bench role to join the starting lineup with Young injured, but this posed no problems. He played some of his best basketball in that era — and some of his most effective, too.

Many wondered why Bogdanovic wasn’t a better candidate for Sixth Man of the Year to end the season. Of all the qualified candidates, he averaged the most points and the team was much better with him on the court. And yet he finished fifth in the voting.

While the Hawks could have another roster shakeup this season, it would be a good idea to make sure Bogdanovic isn’t moved after the year he had. It might be difficult to find consistent bench play, so keeping a player like Bogdanovic on the team is imperative.