Getty Malcolm Brogdon of the Indiana Pacers, who was traded to the Boston Celtics on July 1.
The Boston Celtics are trading for Malcolm Brogdon of the Indiana Pacers, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. In the deal, they are sending, big man Daniel Theis, third-year wing Aaron Nesmith, Nik Stauskas, Malik Fitts, Juwan Morgan and their 2023 first-round pick.
Wojnarowski followed up his initial reporting by explaining the deal from both teams’ perspectives.
“The Celtics wanted to land a true playmaking point guard and now acquire Malcolm Brogdon without costing themselves a core player. The Pacers land another first-round pick in the deal,” Wojnarowski tweeted.
Boston was able to complete the trade without sending the Pacers any of the team’s primary players. They’ll now have a backcourt of Brogdon, Marcus Smart, Derrick White and Payton Pritchard to complement their two stars, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. The Celtics needed playmaking, so they went out and got it.
However, it wasn’t an easy deal to complete, according to one report. Indiana tried to negotiate with Boston in an attempt to acquire one of the Celtics’ up-and-coming players, but Celtics general manager Brad Stevens refused to give him up.
Pacers Tried to Bargain With Celtics
Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report tweeted that, according to his sources, the Pacers were trying to pry forward Grant Williams, 24, from the Celtics in the deal, but Boston managed to complete the trade without having to include him.
“Had heard Indiana was interested in Grant Williams, as the Pacers have been connected to a lot of forwards. For Boston to land Malcolm Brogdon without sacrificing Williams is a big win for the Celtics,” Fischer wrote.
Williams played a crucial role in Boston’s run to the NBA Finals last season, particularly in the Celtics’ second-round series against the Milwaukee Bucks. Now he’ll have a chance to replicate that success with next season.
Meanwhile, Brogdon will only add to the team’s depth. In the 36 games he played last season, Brogdon averaged 19.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.9 assists on 44.8% shooting from the field and 31.2% shooting from behind the three-point line. His versatile game on both sides of the floor should help him fit in seamlessly with the rest of Boston’s roster.
The Celtics have been linked to Brogdon in the past, too, as multiple outlets suggested the move would be mutually beneficial.
Brogdon’s Past Celtics Connections
On May 26, as the offseason was getting underway for some teams (and others competed in the playoffs), Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report suggested the move for the Celtics. He wrote that Brogdon seemed like the perfect fit alongside Smart and the rest of Boston’s core.
“If the Celtics could stomach Brogdon’s health risks, they could get major mileage out of him. He could further elevate this club’s playmaking and is just as potent off the ball, meaning he wouldn’t step on the toes of the Jays or Marcus Smart. Brogdon’s defense could make him a favorite of coach Ime Udoka, and Brogdon’s experience could allow for a smooth transition into the locker room,” Buckley wrote.
The Celtics still have their $17.1 million traded player exceptions to fill, as well as plenty of open roster spots now. Their offseason is far from over.