The NBA offseason often brings a flurry of activity as teams look to bolster their rosters ahead of the upcoming season. Among the players in the spotlight is Malcolm Brogdon, a 32-year-old guard with a notable track record but recent struggles. Contending teams looking for bench depth and experience would be getting a significant boon in Brogdon. Even after his struggles over the past two seasons, he is still absolutely worth the gamble for teams looking to build championship-caliber rosters.
Brogdon’s recent history reflects a player who has played only 63 total games for losing teams over the past two seasons. He was an important piece of the Boston Celtics and won the Sixth Man of the Year award for the 2022-23 season. Unfortunately, his strong play hasn’t converted to success on the hardwood against inferior competition. In sum, his future is cloudy but bright for the right organization.
A Closer Look at Brogdon’s Performance
Brogdon’s numbers tell the story of a steady hand even with his lack of reliability due to injury. His year by year Player Efficiency Ratings (PER) have been an eerie exercise in seasonal consistency. From 2018-19 to 2022-23, he recorded ratings of 17.8, 17.7, 17.9, 18.0, and 18.2 in five straight seasons. This sort of consistency, especially with this sort of role, shows that when healthy and in the right role, he’s still an impactful player.
Yet, the same challenges of his age and injury history loom large over his outlook. At 32 years old, who knows how many more strings Brogdon has left to his bow over the course of his NBA career. Rather, he’s mostly been used as matching salary in trades for bigger name players since leaving Boston. This truth illustrates the move away from being the star rap artist to being the more supporting player. This amendment might be the best opportunity for a deep-running team to really improve their lineup.
“He can boost a contender in need of that final bench piece.” – Zach Kram
Future Opportunities for Brogdon
Through the adversity he’s dealt with, Brogdon is still a viable target for teams in need of backcourt help that hope to contend for a title. Many teams would be made better by McRae’s knowledge and talent, especially those in need of a dependable third guard. His eventual fit is most notable for teams looking for stability on the bench. Beyond that, he’s capable of rising to a starter’s role when called upon.
For example, the Dallas Mavericks might make the most sense for Brogdon. He could start for half a season until Kyrie Irving returns from injury, providing critical minutes and leadership during that transition. This arrangement would allow Brogdon to showcase his skills on a playoff-caliber team while helping to navigate Irving’s reintegration into the lineup.
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