The New York Knicks will be without a key bench player for the remainder of the playoffs, as forward Bojan Bogdanović will undergo season-ending surgery to repair a left foot injury and will be evaluated in three months, the team announced Tuesday. Additionally, Bogdanović will have a procedure to repair his injured wrist, per league sources.
Bogdanović sustained a foot injury in Sunday’s Game 4 win over the Philadelphia 76ers and has been dealing with a lingering wrist issue.
Bojan Bogdanovic will undergo surgery on his left foot and will be re-evaluated in three months.
— NY_KnicksPR (@NY_KnicksPR) April 30, 2024
He’s played a key scoring role off the Knicks bench since joining New York in a deadline-day trade from Detroit, averaging 10.4 points per game through the regular season with the Knicks.
Through four postseason games, Bogdanović has averaged six points, three rebounds and one assist per game as the Knicks lead their first-round series against the 76ers 3-1. New York hosts Game 5 on Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET.
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How does this affect the Knicks?
The Knicks traded for Bogdanović to be a potent scorer off the bench. Through a few playoff games, he looked like that. The veteran sharpshooter nailed crucial 3s in each of the first two games, both wins, of the Knicks’ first-round series. Now, New York will miss that spark off the bench. — Fred Katz, Knicks staff writer
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Who steps up in Bogdanović’s place?
The Knicks have a few options. If Mitchell Robinson returns from a sprained ankle, they could keep Precious Achiuwa, who had filled in for Robinson, in their rotation. Achiuwa was one of the group’s top defenders during a Game 4 win, but coach Tom Thibodeau would have to figure out the spacing concerns that would come with placing Achiuwa and Robinson, two non-shooters, next to each other.
In an ideal world, Alec Burks would re-enter the rotation, which would give the Knicks the scoring punch they will lose with Bogdanović’s season-ending surgery. But Burks seriously struggled after coming over in the same trade that brought Bogdanović to New York, shooting only 31 percent from the field and 23 games with the Knicks. Eventually, he fell out of favor with Thibodeau and hasn’t returned to regular playing time since. — Katz
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(Photo: Sarah Stier / Getty Images)