WASHINGTON (AP) – The Washington Wizards added scoring punch to their bench on the eve of the trade deadline, acquiring swingman Bojan Bogdanovic from the Brooklyn Nets.
Washington also got forward Chris McCullough in the deal and sent a lottery-protected 2017 first-round pick, Marcus Thornton and Andrew Nicholson to Brooklyn. The Wizards announced the trade Wednesday night.
Bogdanovic, 27, averaged a career-high 14.2 points a game as a starter for the struggling Nets. He will add depth to the Wizards, who are in third place in the Eastern Conference.
“Bojan is a very good shooter and a talented overall scorer whose versatility gives us an added dimension as we gear up for the stretch run,” general manager Ernie Grunfeld said in a statement. “He is a proven starter that will provide us an added boost off the bench and allow us to be creative with our lineups.”
With the addition of Bogdanovic, a pending restricted free agent, Washington continues its push to challenge the NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers, Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics in the East. The Wizards have won 18 of their past 21 games and surged up the standings after a slow start under new coach Scott Brooks.