Malcolm Brogdon playing for the Boston Celtics feels like forever ago, even though it was only three years ago. That's not to say he wasn't good in Boston. In fact, for the role the Celtics put him in, Brogdon was pretty awesome.
But here's what many forget about the brief Brogdon-Boston union: when it was announced that Boston, it shocked everyone that a team coming off a finals run just got an excellent players for what was seen as all spart parts.
The only notable players sent to Indiana were Aaron Nesmith (who had fallen out of Boston's rotation) and Daniel Theis (who barely played for the Pacers). A first-round pick was included in the deal, but despite Brogdon's short tenure as a Celtic, it's still pretty shocking that they got him for as little as they did with how important he turned out to be.
Prepare yourself Celtics fans, because Brad Stevens has given subtle hints that another Brogdon trade is on the horizon.
Celtics have acquired the necessary assets to get another impactful player
One of the ways in which Boston made the Brogdon trade happen was by utilizing the contracts from the other expendable players on the roster. The following players were also used to match salary for Brogdon (here's a trip down memory lane for any Celtics diehards): Nik Stauskas, Malik Fitts, and Juwan Morgan.
Don't look now, but the Celtics suddenly have quite a few players they could also throw in for salary-matching purposes, including the recently re-signed Dalano Banton and Ron Harper Jr. It's not a guarantee that Boston will trade them, but if they are looking to add an impact player, they may include them to help a trade work financially.
The real ace in the hole is the Anfernee Simons TPE at their disposal. They may use that to acquire a player on a big contract who's not needed on their current team (it's why Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will keep getting mentioned), but who can then be rerouted elsewhere 60 days after the deal.
It's hard to pinpoint who Malcolm Brogdon 2.0 would be
The timing of when the Celtics got Brogdon was perfect because he was playing for a Pacers team right in the middle of a transition who wanted him off their payroll. Brogdon's injury-prone reputation also hurt his value, but nonetheless, the Celtics didn't think twice to acquire him especially after the un they had.
But now? It's a little tougher because it requires taking advantage of a team about to start over and/or change their formula. Looking at the NBA's big contracts for next season, it's hard to pinpoint who exactly fits the profile at the moment.
However, don't be surprised if Stevens already has the player he wants in mind. If there's an executive who has mastered the notion of being 10 steps ahead, it's him. Boston's already pretty much set, but making the finals back in 2022 didn't stop them from getting some upgrades, and even if they win it all this June, it shouldn't stop them this summer.