According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the New York Knicks have signed Malcolm Brogdon in free agency. Brogdon suited up for the Celtics during the 2022-23 season, winning Sixth Man of the Year but struggling a bit deep into the playoffs. That said, even at this stage of his career, Brogdon should provide the Knicks with valuable guard depth.
Brogdon only spent one season in Boston before the Celtics traded him to the Portland Trail Blazers in the deal that brought Jrue Holiday to TD Garden. Holiday was a crucial part of winning Banner 18, and the Blazers went on to trade Brogdon to the Washington Wizards in the deal that brought Deni Avdija to the West Coast.
Now, Brogdon is heading to The Big Apple.
What Malcolm Brogdon lesson will Knicks learn from Celtics?
When the Celtics traded for Brogdon following their run to the Finals in 2022, he was the perfect fit. Boston traded Aaron Nesmith, who turned into a great role player but wasn’t getting consistent run with the Celtics, Daniel Theis, picks, and other players to the Pacers, getting back an elite bench player.
Up to that point in his career, though, Brogdon was anything but a bench player. However, when he joined the Celtics, he agreed to take on a different role in hopes of competing for a championship.
And while the Celtics ultimately came up short in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat, Brogdon’s contributions that year were essential to the team’s success.
However, while he played well in the regular season, Brogdon did struggle at times in the playoffs. And at this point in his career, as Brogdon is now 32 years old, he may not deliver the same level of production.
Still, the Knicks should learn from the Celtics—Brogdon is a steady hand.
The Celtics brought him on board to provide quality shooting, a reliable ball-handler, and someone who could score when needed. He did all of those things, and he has at every step of his career.
So, while the Knicks also have the likes of Miles McBride and Jordan Clarkson backing up Jalen Brunson, Brogdon gives them a very important asset to deploy.
He’s Ol’ Reliable. He’s the guy the Knicks should be able to depend on to keep the game steady. While he may not be able to play the same number of minutes as he once could, New York should be happy with what he adds to their team.