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There’s no denying that the Boston Celtics are seen as potential championship favorites as they look to build upon their run to the NBA Finals from last season, where they lost to the Golden State Warriors in six games.
One of the biggest differences to Boston’s team this year has been the off-season addition of Malcolm Brogdon, who helped solve the team’s need for an additional ball-handler off the bench who can score, create for others, and defend at a high level.
When speaking during an exclusive interview on ESPN’s NBA Today, Brogdon shared his belief that the Celtics have all the ingredients necessary to lift a championship banner at the end of the current season.
“That’s the expectation – make it to the finals, to win a championship this year, to get banner 18 for this organization. I really believe we have the talent, I think we have the coaching. And I think at this point, this team has the experience, so I think we have a really good shot,” Brogdon said.
The Celtics currently occupy the second seed in the Eastern Conference, having fallen out of first place following their February 27 loss to the New York Knicks.
Brogdon Accepted Sixth-Man Role
Shortly after joining the Celtics via trade, Brogdon appeared on a July 11 episode of ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski’s ‘The Woj Pod’ podcast, where he discussed his new role on Boston’s bench.
“Brad did have a conversation with my agent and talked about me coming to Boston and embracing a sixth man role. And for me, I’ve made a lot of money, I’ve won a lot in Milwaukee, I’ve won some in Indiana. But I really want to get back to winning at a high level, I wanna win a championship. So whatever I can sacrifice, to get back to that championship level, I’m willing to do it and compete,” Brogdon said.
In Brogdon’s 53 games so far this season, he’s averaging 14.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists while shooting 49% from the field and 46.4% from deep, and those numbers are a significant reason why many are expecting him to be a front-runner for the 2023 Sixth Man of the Year award.
Celtics Could Regret Not Trading Payton Pritchard
While Brogdon’s arrival has certainly benefitted the Celtics, it has been a roadblock to the development of third-year sharpshooter Payton Pritchard, who has seen his role diminish since the veteran arrived.
According to Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley, the Celtics could regret not trading Pritchard at the February 9 trade deadline due to his frustration with his current role within the team.
“Payton Pritchard wants to play. He doesn’t always get that chance in Boston, where he’s buried behind a slew of established pros…If the Celtics don’t see Pritchard in their long-term plans, they should have cut him loose and sent him to some team with that kind of vision for him,” Buckley wrote.
Pritchard, 25, will now have to wait until the summer before looking to find a new home, although his presence on the Celtics roster could prove valuable should one of their core guard rotation be forced to miss time between now and when the teams season reaches its conclusion.
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