Brad Stevens empathizes with Malcolm Brogdon after reportedly almost buying and selling him, says he’s anticipated to be prepared for begin of season

Celtics

“Malcolm’s actually vital and that basically, that was robust.”

Brad Stevens reportedly almost traded Malcolm Brogdon a 12 months after buying and selling for him.

Malcolm Brogdon was the guard the Celtics had been initially purported to commerce for Kristaps Pozingis. 

As you probably know by now although, Brogdon didn’t make his technique to the Clippers in what would’ve been a three-team commerce. As a substitute, Boston saved Brogdon and traded Marcus Good to Memphis as a way to nonetheless purchase Porzingis from Washington in a separate three-team commerce.

Now, Brogdon stays on the Celtics and is in a bizarre spot the place he is aware of he was closely concerned in commerce talks and gave the impression to be on the verge of getting traded.

Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens admitted that Borgdon was put in a tough spot after what occurred late Wednesday night time.

“Malcolm’s actually vital and that basically, that was robust,” Stevens mentioned in an interview with NBC Sports activities Boston’s Chris Forsberg. “He actually doesn’t deserve that, and I really feel for him. We’ve talked clearly since then. There are a number of narratives on the market due to that which can be actually inaccurate.”

It appeared that the Clippers may need gone by means of with the commerce had there not been any holdups about Brogdon’s proper forearm, which he injured within the Celtics’ Jap Convention finals loss to the Warmth.

However there have been conflicting studies concerning the severity of Brogdon’s forearm harm in current days. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported that Brogdon has a “well being situation that’s so vital that as I perceive it, that not solely can the Celtics not do that commerce, there’s most likely no Malcolm Brogdon commerce that they will do within the brief time period.”

Nonetheless, it’s unclear if Brogdon will want surgical procedure on the injured forearm and the Clippers’ concern was extra targeted on not having sufficient time to finish a bodily examination, The Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach reported. As a result of Porzingis had till midnight set to select up his $36 million participant possibility, the groups concerned within the commerce had been working beneath a deadline late Wednesday night time to get the deal completed. 

Within the occasion that Brogdon has to endure surgical procedure, he’s anticipated to be prepared by the beginning of the common season in October, in response to Himmelsbach. 

Stevens additionally expects Brogdon to be prepared for the beginning of the season. 

“The underside line is, he’s going by means of a interval of four-to-eight weeks the place he’s resting and rehabbing, as instructed by our docs and as instructed the third-party doc he went to see,” Stevens mentioned. “He feels good, and we count on him to be again proper at the beginning of the season and have the nice 12 months that he’s had yearly he’s been within the league.

“We’re enthusiastic about that, however it’s arduous for him. That’s the opposite half, like being within the rumors and stuff, that stinks. We’ve talked about it, that’s arduous.”

As Stevens made it sound like Brogdon will stay in Boston for the 2023-24 season, the Celtics may actually use him. Clearly, their guard rotation turned thinner by buying and selling Good and Brogdon seems to be the backup level guard shifting ahead. 

Brogdon had a robust season in an analogous position in his first 12 months in Boston. He scored 14.9 factors and averaged 3.7 assists per sport as he shot 48.4 p.c from the sector and 44.4 p.c from deep to win the Sixth Man of the Yr Award.