Marcus Smart’s recent level of play has lowered the need for the Boston Celtics to acquire a new point guard.
But, long term, moving Smart back to the bench and having him run the second unit might still be the most logical move, especially if the team has dreams of contending for a championship in the near future. The bigger question is, who could the Celtics acquire to be their long-term point guard solution?
When speaking to Heavy.com, an NBA front office executive noted Malcolm Brogdon as a potential trade candidate for the Celtics in the upcoming off-season, hinting that it may not take an earth-shattering package to get the deal over the line.
“You’ve got Haliburton, you’ve got Brogdon, and the Pacers will get a look at those guys together, but in the end, you’re going to want to have the ball in Haliburton’s hands long-term. But you’ve got Brogdon with three years left and $65 million ($67 million, actually), and you’re going to want to move off of that. He’s injury-prone. I think when he does get dealt, people might be surprised that the Pacers don’t get much for him.
If you’re the Celtics, though, that is a risk worth taking because you can add him to your mix without giving up a Rob Williams or a Marcus Smart. Derrick White, Aaron Nesmith, and maybe a heavily-protected pick or a couple of second-rounders. I don’t think Brogdon would cost much more than that. I know Brad (Stevens) has always liked him, and they had an interest in him before,” said the executive, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Celtics Need to Bolster Their Rotation
Since the start of 2022, the Celtics have been one of the best teams in the NBA in terms of form, racking up wins and climbing the Eastern Conference standings as a result. However, if Brad Stevens wants to build a legitimate contender, he will need additional talent.
The Brooklyn Nets, Chicago Bulls, Philadelphia 76ers, and Milwaukee Bucks are all deep teams, with serious capabilities of raising a banner in the coming years, and we’re only talking about the Eastern Conference teams – the pool gets deeper when you include the West. Boston is still a move or two away from that level, and while Derrick White has been a valuable addition to the roster, a healthy Malcolm Brogdon helps raise the team’s ceiling towards their ultimate end goal.
Let’s not forget Brogdon won Rookie of the Year honors in 2017 and followed that up by joining the coveted 50/40/90 club in 2019. That exclusive club is for players who shot 50% from the field, 40% from three, and 90% from the free-throw line throughout an entire season – a feat that is seldom achieved.
Of course, Boston would also need to find some additional shooting if they were to harbor hopes of contending next season, as it’s becoming increasingly clear that Ime Udoka favors veterans. So, while the Celtics have moved to acquire shooting specialists in recent weeks, it’s unlikely we see any of them feature heavily in the coming months.
Brogdon’s Injury History is Concerning
Since entering the league, Brogdon has failed to complete an entire season due to a plethora of injury issues. In most cases, the veteran guard has fallen short of a 60 game season, making his future rather precarious beyond his current contract.
Here’s how each season has shaken out for the six-foot-five guard in terms of games played;
- 2016-17: 75
- 2017-18: 48
- 2018-19: 64
- 2019-20: 54
- 2020-21: 51
- 2021-22: 34 (current season – more games left to play)
Having a guard that’s potentially unavailable for a third or more of the season isn’t how you build a championship team. Sure, Brogdon’s talent is unquestionable, but as Stevens has always said, ‘The best ability is availability,’ and for a Celtics team that has navigated injury problems for multiple years now, adding another absentee doesn’t project as good business – regardless of the asking price.
Sometimes it’s better to stand pat than it is to grab a bargain because when things seem too good to be true, they usually are. Maybe it’s in the Celtics’ best interest to see how far Smart can take this team before making any decisions on upgrading the point guard position because right now, he looks like the ideal pass-first point guard fans have been calling for.
Then again, how often does an opportunity to snag a player like Brogdon come around? It looks like Stevens could potentially have a tough decision to make in the summer thankfully that’s still a few months away.
Proposed Trade Sees Celtics Land $85 Million Point Guard