Celtics, Pacers reportedly pull off massive trade
The Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers have pulled off a big-time trade that will send guard Malcolm Brogdon to Boston in exchange for six assets, including a first-round pick, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Headlined by the 2023 first-round pick going from Boston to Indiana, the Pacers’ return on Brogdon will also include veteran center Daniel Theis, 2020 first-round pick Aaron Nesmith, and depth players Nik Stauskas, Malik Fitts and Juwan Morgan.
But that’s a price that’s more than worth it for the C’s.
A 6-foot-5 guard, Brogdon is coming off a 2021-22 campaign that included 19.1 points and 5.9 assists per game, while averaging 33:30 in an injury-interrupted 36-game campaign for the Pacers. With the Pacers for the last three seasons (Brogdon was sent to Indiana from the Milwaukee Bucks in a sign-and-trade), Brogdon is also just a year removed from what was a career year in 2020-21, with a career-best 21.2 points and 5.3 rebounds per night.
Overall, the Georgia-born Brogdon, who has been a starter exclusively for the last four seasons, has averaged 15.5 points, 4.8 assists, and 4.2 rebounds per game, along with a 46.4 field goal percentage (37.6 percent from three-point range), in 333 NBA games between the Bucks and Pacers. Brogdon also won Rookie of the Year in 2017.
The Celtics’ interest in Brogdon goes back years and years, in fact, as the Celtics were one of the teams that were on Brogdon’s radar in his 2016 draft year. That ultimately didn’t pan out, but the interest and praise was always there on the part of Celtics coach-turned-president Brad Stevens, who actually tried recruiting Brogdon during his Butler days.
Brogdon only adds to a Celtic backcourt that features Marcus Smart, Derrick White, and Jaylen Brown, as well as Payton Pritchard and 2022 second-round pick JD Davison.
The 29-year-old Brogdon is entering the final year of a contract that comes with a $22.6 million cap hit.
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Ty Anderson is a writer and columnist for 985TheSportsHub.com. He has been covering the Bruins since 2010, and has been a member of the Boston chapter of the PHWA since 2013. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Yell at him on Twitter: @_TyAnderson.
