Have no fear, for Bojan Bogdanovic will reappear.
The Utah Jazz’s sharpshooting Crotian hasn’t been cleared for full five-on-five contact through training camp and to start the preseason slate, due to some minor shoulder soreness.
Though the Jazz have had Bogdanovic taking it easy out of an abundance of caution, he is adamant that he will be on the court soon.
“It’s not serious it’s just sore a little bit,” he said after the Jazz practiced in Dallas on Tuesday. “So just as a precaution I didn’t play the first game. I don’t know about tomorrow but we’re going to see.”
The Jazz lost their preseason opener against the Spurs in San Antonio on Monday night, but were playing without four of their main rotational players. In addition to Bogdanovic, Rudy Gobert and Joe Ingles had the night off to rest and Rudy Gay is still recovering from an offseason procedure on his right heel to remove a bone spur.
Bogdanovic said he will be cleared to play this week and is hopeful he’ll be ready to go when the Jazz face Dallas on Wednesday, but even if that’s not the case, he said there is absolutely no doubt he would be available when the regular season begins, and likely sooner.
“I’m starting this week with team practices and I’m feeling great,” he said. “This is not a big issue.”
Before Bogdanovic returned to Utah from Croatia he said he noticed the soreness but that it was never a real concern. He has been able to participate in a limited capacity through practices and shootarounds but just hasn’t taken part in live, full-court action since rejoining the Jazz.
Over the last couple of weeks the Jazz have introduced some new faces and a few tweaks to the offensive sets, which probably means a bit of an acclimation period for Bogdanvoic when he returns to play, but he’s not concerned about that either.
He said he’s been able to walk through things, and is picking up on everything just fine despite being partially sidelined.
Bodanovic said that even though he’ll have a late start with the Jazz, this offseason was much better than last year’s when he was coming back from wrist surgery. This time around he said that he feels completely healthy, better than ever and ready to go as soon as the Jazz give him the green light.