Clippers News: Steve Ballmer Could Ruin Bogdan Bogdanovic’s NBA Reunion With ‘Serbian Gary Payton’

NBA scouts are always on the move to find the best talent. If they weren’t looking for the best, they would be looking for perfect role players. And the recently concluded 2024 Paris Olympics have turned into a goldmine with a plethora of talent from across the globe. Notably, Serbia, which nearly beat Team USA, has a lot of eyes, especially on veteran guard, Aleksa Avramović. While a report claimed that the 29-year-old could team up with his captain, Bogdan Bogdanovic, it also stated that the Lawnmowers could play the spoilsport.

The 1.90 m Serbian guard put in an exceptional performance at the Paris Olympics, averaging 10.5 points and 1.7 steals per game. Avramović also shot an impressive 53.3% accuracy and under 40% from three-point range. He also earned a nickname for his defensive abilities, which is “Gary Payton the Serbian”especially for its nagging perimeter defense. Before going into details, let’s return to the Serbian reunion and their status.

THE The real GMs last update stated that the Atlanta Hawks The Hawks have shown interest in signing Aleksa Avramović. The 29-year-old is currently signed to CSKA Moscow and would require an $850,000 buyout to send him to the United States. The move will eventually reunite the up-and-coming player with Bogdan Bogdanovic, who already plays for the Hawks. However, there is a twist. The same report stated that James Harden’s employers have also shown interest in the point guard.

The Los Angeles Clippers lost two of their superstars this offseason: Paul George And Russell Westbrook. James Hardenwho focused more on orchestrating plays and distributing assists last season, could focus more on scoring to compensate for PG’s departure. On the other hand, Aleksa Avramović could replace Russ as a second-unit point guard or perhaps even in the starting five. Thus, the Clippers and Steve Ballmer could be motivated enough to shake things up and spoil the Serbian reunion in Atlanta.

The Gary Payton Effect

Gary Payton Sr. ended his long and illustrious career in 2007 as one of the best defenders in the NBA. He was a 9-time All-NBA Defensive Team selection and ranks 4th on the all-time steals list. More importantly, he was the only point guard to win the Defensive Player of the Year award until Marcus Smart in 2022. It was all possible because of Payton’s smart defensive technique, which also earned him the nickname The glove.

Payton is known for his wide, locked-down stance outside the perimeter, shielding the player and keeping his body low. This annoying approach to defense allowed him to throw many interceptions. He eventually passed it on to his son, Gary Payton II, who has proven to be a defensive genius in Golden State Warriors.

A similar talent has been spotted overseas as Serbian guard, Aleksa Avramović, also possesses a similar defensive technique from the perimeter. Joe Viray, a renowned NBA writer, analyzed the Serbian’s defensive abilities and called him a “Gary Payton the Serbian”. Viray especially said Avramović made headlines during the Paris Olympics for watching Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s footage for two days and ultimately shutting him down for just 15 points. So if given the chance, the NBA could see another mastery of defense.

Before you go, watch the Dual Threat Show hosted by BG12 where the Bulldogs’ Asia Avinger details her experience with Kobe Bryant, her WNBA ROTY picks and more in the video below.