While the Bostons Celtics are currently a favorite to come out of the Eastern Conference these NBA playoffs, they should still be looking to upgrade. One team Brad Stevens should have his eye on this summer is the Indiana Pacers.
After trading away Domantas Sabonis and Caris LeVert at the trade deadline, it’s clear the Pacers are preparing for a rebuild. With young prospects Tyrese Haliburton and Chris Duarte as the new backcourt of the future, point guard Malcolm Brogdon will likely be made available come the offseason.
When healthy, Brogdon is any upgrade to any roster. He appeared in 36 games for Indiana last season and posted averages of 19.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.9 assists. If the Pacers decide to gauge his market, Boston should certainly put their hat in the race.
Marcus Smart stepped up for Boston in a big way on the offensive end but is not your prototypical point guard. Bringing in Brogdon would take pressure off Smart as the initiator of the offense and allow him to slide off the ball. The 29-year-old is also more than capable of being a reliable third scorer behind Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
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Trading for Brogdon would allow Boston to fully embrace a modern-era lineup. A starting unit of Brogdon/Smart/Brown/Tatum/Robert Williams can hold its own on both ends while causing matchup problems for opponents. It also gives them the ability to play small or go big with Grant Williams depending on the matchup. In today’s game, being able to shapeshift is a necessity.
For a trade like this to work, Indiana would have to be willing to take on Al Horford’s contract. The only enticing part of his $26 million salary is that he will be an expiring contract next season. The Indiana Pacers might be willing to take it on depending on what kind of sweeteners Boston can add on top.
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The only real deterrent for Boston is Brogdon’s injury history. He has only played more than 55 games once in the past three seasons. That is a big gamble to make on a player who just inked a two-year extension last summer.
Depending on how things unfold for the Boston Celtics in the playoffs, they might decide to run it back. The way they were able to turn it on in the second half of the regular season should have them in no rush to make a major change. That being said, if they were looking to tweak things, pursuing Malcolm Brogdon is a logical route.
