Malcolm Brogdon Takes Subtle Shot at Celtics, Wants to Stay in Portland

Getty Malcolm Brogdon vs. the Knicks

Speaking to The Athletic’s Jason Quick, Malcolm Brogdon of the Portland Trailblazers got candid about his time with the Boston Celtics, saying “I didn’t feel very valued there.”

Brogdon spent one season with the Boston Celtics, where he won the Sixth Man of the Year. Boston dealt him to Portland in September as part of a package to land Jrue Holiday.

The comment came while Brogdon was expressing his happiness with his current situation, saying “I’m happy here. I’m valued here. Valued in this leadership/lead-guard role. And I can’t complain with that. I’m happy in Portland.’’

While Brogdon’s name has frequently come up in trade rumors lately, the veteran guard stated that he isn’t focusing on what he can’t control and is just embracing the opportunity he has, adding “I don’t know if I’m going to be in Portland, I don’t know if I’m going to be elsewhere. It’s about me embracing the moment I have right here, and not worrying about anything else.”

Providing Stability in Portland

The Portland Trailblazers committed to a full rebuild after trading Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks in September. The team has struggled for much of this year, and are currently sitting at 14-33 and 14th place in the west.

Brogdon has brought some stability to the young team, and served as a mentor for rookie Scoot Henderson. Back in October, Quick reported that Brogdon “would assume a mentorship role and watch film with Henderson.” Brogdon stated that he wanted the film sessions to focus on themes, saying “For me, it’s picking out themes so it doesn’t feel like I’m bashing him on every play.”

The relationship may be key for maximizing Henderson’s potential. Brogdon stressed the importance of having veteran players to learn from, mentioning that Matthew Dellavedova was a “great vet” for him. The Trailblazers have the fourth youngest team in the league, and keeping Brogdon around to help mold their future may be more valuable in the team’s mind than anything they might receive on the trade market.

On the court, Brogdon is leading the team in both three point shooting (41.9%) and assists (5.5).

Potential Trades

Brian Windhorst of ESPN called Brogdon “one of the most talented players on the trade market.” If the Trailblazers do decide to flip the 31-year-old, there should be plenty of suiters lining up.

On January 31, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported that the New York Knicks were monitoring several players including Bruce Brown, Alec Burks, Jordan Clarkson, Kelly Olynyk, and Brogdon.

Other teams that are said to be monitoring Brogdon’s availability include the Houston Rockets, who have reportedly been eyeing him since October. Dan Woike reported that an additional team who has had discussions about Brogdon is the Los Angeles Lakers, who find Brogdon’s size and defense to be “appealing”.

Whether Portland decides to keep Brogdon for the remainder of the season, or even longer as he is also under contract for the 2024-25 season, remains to be seen. What is certain, however, is that for now Brogdon is just focusing on doing his job in a situation where he feels valued.