How the Boston Celtics will integrate former Rookie of the Year into lineup

The Boston Celtics had a more optimistic outlook on the 2022-23 season a week ago before it was reported that the injury Danilo Gallinari suffered during FIBA competition was an ACL tear to the same leg he had one on previously in 2013.

Still, even with a major piece on the second unit possibly down and out for the year, the Cs are in a better place than where they left off when we last saw them — coming within two games of Banner 18 just a few months ago.

The impetus for that is the addition of former Indiana Pacers guard Malcolm Brogdon, once a Rookie of the Year playing alongside the Giannis Antetokounmpo-Khris Middleton era Milwaukee Bucks. Brogdon was acquired by the Cs for Daniel Theis, Aaron Nesmith, Malik Fitts, Juwan Morgan, Nik Stauskas, and a 2023 first-round draft pick and is expected to take on a sixth-man role as the Cs return their starting five following a summer of trade rumors pointing to the contrary.

MassLive’s Brian Robb broke down further what that is going to look like for Brogdon in 2022-23 in his latest Boston Celtics mailbag:

"“To be honest, I would guess the Celtics would plan on having play Malcolm Brogdon as a backup wing far more often than fans expect. He’s got more size at 6-foot-5 than most people realize and is far better suited to defend those types of players anyway with his foot speed. Slotting him there also will open the door for more minutes for Derrick White and Payton Pritchard, far better than any potential wing alternatives on the open market.”"

Danilo Gallinari’s injury forces the Boston Celtics to go small

If Ime Udoka was expected to ride with his top nine guys in his rotation, which certainly seems plausible in today’s NBA, then Danilo Gallinari’s injury forces Payton Pritchard into that group. Malcolm Brogdon, Derrick White, Grant Williams, and Pritchard all represent a second unit that needs either Robert Williams/Al Horford or Jaylen Brown/Jayson Tatum–with Marcus Smart being a wild-card option–in order to operate.

The shifting of Brogdon up to the wing position in spurts makes sense in this context, and ultimately gives the Cs multiple positions with top-notch distributors. That makes Boston a dangerous entity in fast-paced matchups. Luke Kornet is worthy of a chance to prove he can be the first big off the bench, but the Celtics will more than likely be a team that embraces pace and space when the first substitutions check in this coming season.