Celtics

‘I want to win a championship’: Malcolm Brogdon on why he’s a ‘perfect fit’ for the Celtics

"Whatever I can sacrifice to get back to that championship level, I'm willing to do it and compete."

Malcolm Brogdon during the first half of a Pacers game in March, 2022. AP Photo/Nick Wass

July 11, 2022

As the Celtics look to go one step farther next season and win a championship, newly-acquired guard Malcolm Brogdon appears to have an ideal mindset for Boston fans wondering where he might fit.

Speaking during a recent episode of ESPN basketball reporter Adrian Wojnarowski’s podcast, “The Woj Pod,” Brogdon said that something he heard prior to the recent trade was that he would need to accept a “sixth man” role with the Celtics.

“If I wanted to come to Boston, that would be one of the things I’d need to embrace,” he explained. The 29-year-old said he had no issue with coming off the bench.

“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 on a high level,” Brogdon said. “I want to win a championship, so whatever I can sacrifice to get back to that championship level, I’m willing to do it and compete.”

On the other side, Brogdon sees equal commitment from the Celtics in pursuit of a title.

“I think it really is a testament to the Boston Celtics, and how much they want to win,” said Brogdon. “They’re willing to spend. They’re willing to possibly have a guy that they’re paying $20 million a year come off the bench as a sixth man and try to help them win a championship.”

Still, Brogdon was not expecting a trade to the Celtics and originally thought he would be dealt to the Wizards, given the Pacers’ rumored interest in acquiring the 10th pick. But as the first round of the recently NBA Draft took shape, it became clear that Washington was no longer interested in doing a deal with Indiana (a fact which Brogdon acknowledged “was not crushing” to learn.)

“You know I’ve heard a lot of people say I’d be the perfect fit there, that they need a guy like me with my skillset,” Brogdon said of the Celtics, “but Boston was never one of the teams that showed interest early on. There were really a host of about five or six other teams that were consistent, that were constantly in the news and all of the articles that people knew were showing a lot of interest. Boston was not one of the teams.”

Ultimately, it was the Celtics who were able to swing a trade for the veteran guard. The full terms of the deal are Brogdon for Boston’s 2023 first-round pick (which is reportedly top-12 protected) and five players: Nik Stauskas, Daniel Theis, Aaron Nesmith, Juwan Morgan, and Malik Fitts.

Brogdon said he holds no bad feelings towards Indiana.

“This is a business, and I understand,” Brogdon noted. “I just want to know the direction and [Indiana] made the best decisions for themselves. They sent me to a contender, and I’m excited about the opportunity to be with Boston and I’m very appreciative about how Indiana handled it.”

One of the reasons for his Pacers exit, as Brogdon explained, was simply that Indiana’s timeline — eyeing a rebuild — doesn’t line up with his career arc.

Now that he’s in Boston, Brogdon believes he can take full advantage of playing high-level basketball in the remaining best years of his career.

“You know I think I have maybe three more years in my prime, and I’ve gone to a team where I think I fit their timeline, I think I’m right in the middle of it,” he reasoned. “I fit on the court, physically. My skillset, my game, everything fits.

“Defensively, they were the best defensive team in the NBA. I think the gap only widens now that I’m on the team,” Brogdon added. “I don’t think it could be a better fit. They weren’t on my radar early on, but for them to come in at the very end and for it to happen that quick — within 24-to-36 hours like it did — is fortuitous. I was meant to be there.”