Yahoo Sports Malcolm Brogdon: Six trade destinations that make sense
As Portland trades another guard derived from a previous deal, they now have yet another guard on their hands to put on the market. Following their trade of Damian Lillard for Jrue Holiday and draft picks, the Trail Blazers flipped Holiday to the Boston Celtics for Malcolm Brogdon, Robert Williams III, and two first-round draft picks. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, teams are expected to call the Blazers surrounding Brogdon’s availability.
The Celtics acquired Brogdon last summer coming off their NBA Finals loss to the Golden State Warriors. The move wasn’t made to correct any deficiencies from that matchup, but because of the price and opportunity. They didn’t trade a single major rotation player other than Daniel Theis, and the first-round pick they moved turned out to be the 29th overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft. Acquiring Brogdon ended up being a vital move for Boston since it allowed them to parlay his salary into Holiday.
Brogdon was brought into Boston to play a reduced role off the bench. The smaller usage and gravity around scoring threats Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown allowed Brogdon to have one of his most efficient shooting seasons. He had the best three-point shooting season of his career in Boston at 44.4 percent, making him somewhat of a specialist off the ball. One of his biggest issues is his injury history, which has impacted his trade value. His 67 games played last year were the most since the 72 he played in his rookie season.
What are the Blazers looking for?
Portland is probably looking to further grow their surplus of first-round picks. Brogdon’s nixed trade to the Clippers in June showed he could still net a first-round pick, albeit one that is projected to be low. It’s possible that interested teams offer packages featuring multiple second-round picks instead.
Another thing the Blazers could prioritize is expiring contracts. So far, they haven’t created any cap flexibility for the 2024-25 season since all the players they’ve acquired over the past week have multiple years left on their contracts. Brogdon has two years, $45 million remaining on his deal where he will earn $22.5 million in each one. Clearing his $22.5 million salary won’t make them a cap space team, but they could become one if they clear another significant salary later, like Jerami Grant or Deandre Ayton.
Unlike the Lillard and Holiday situations, there isn’t as much urgency to move Brogdon and he could start the season in Portland. The Blazers still project to be in the bottom of the Western Conference with their current roster and he could serve as a good veteran presence for their young backcourt. If no sufficient deal appears before the start of the season, they could wait until more teams can enter the trade market closer to the trade deadline.
Below is a list of several teams that could use Brogdon and make a reasonable offer for him.
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers remain on the hunt for a new lead guard since their original trade for Brogdon fell through. They were in the bidding for Holiday and are known to be James Harden’s preferred destination. If the Clippers aren’t willing to meet the Sixers’ asking price for Harden, they could probably get Brogdon for less. They dropped out of the deal in June because of concerns over his recent elbow injury, but perhaps they’re more comfortable trading for him now that he rehabbed it.
The Clippers originally agreed to trade Marcus Morris, Amir Coffey, and the 30th overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft (Kobe Brown was later selected) in a three-team deal that would’ve gotten them Brogdon. If that framework appeals to Portland then there could be a deal to be done. The Blazers could also choose between other prospects such as Bones Hyland, Kenyon Martin Jr., and Brandon Boston Jr.
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls aren’t expected to have Lonzo Ball play this season and it’s fair to question whether he will play for them again. They strung together a rotation of guards featuring Coby White, Alex Caruso, Ayo Dosunmu, and Jevon Carter to fill in, but they could use better playmaking. They may want to get off Ball’s contract for a player who could play over the next two seasons.
It would likely cost the Bulls a first-round pick to both get off Ball’s remaining two years, $42 million, and acquire a replacement like Brogdon. He would be a valuable addition to a team that ranked dead last in three-point shots made and attempted last season. The earliest first-round pick the Bulls can trade is in 2029, which may be too far out and risky for a trade that only moderately raises their floor.
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors were in the bidding for Lillard and are still seeking a new lead guard to replace Fred VanVleet. Brogdon would require significantly less draft capital and they could probably acquire him without parting ways with key players. His smaller salary also makes it easier to consolidate multiple players for him while staying below the tax.
The Raptors could match for Brogdon through a combination of players like Chris Boucher, Thaddeus Young, Otto Porter, and Malachi Flynn. They could attempt to trade up to five second-round picks if they don’t want to trade a first-round pick. They also have some young players like Precious Achiuwa and Christian Koloko who could be of interest to Portland.
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves have Mike Conley Jr. as their starting point guard but could keep their options open considering he’s entering his age 36 season. They acquired him for D’Angelo Russell and recouped several second-round picks in the deal. They could look to get younger by packaging Conley with multiple second-round picks for Brogdon.
The Timberwolves cannot trade a first-round pick right now but could trade up to five second-round picks. Brogdon earns $1.9 million less than Conley, so this framework would give them more flexibility against their tax crunch. Conley is on an expiring deal so he would likely hit the buyout market if not traded again.
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat had a worst-case scenario offseason where they remained in a holding pattern the entire time for a specific trade target and struck out on him. Currently, there is no consolidation trade out there whom they could package Tyler Herro and draft picks for. Any trade they do at this point before the trade deadline would be for a serviceable player while potentially saving them money.
A swap involving Lowry and draft picks for Brogdon gives the Heat a younger upgrade at guard. They would also significantly reduce their tax payment while also getting below the second apron, which would open up the $5 million taxpayer mid-level exception. The Heat only have two second-round picks available to them, so it’ll be hard for them to top hypothetical offers from the other teams mentioned here. Like Conley, Lowry would presumably get bought out in this scenario.
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are making a push toward the playoffs and could use another veteran. They are looking to trade Kevin Porter Jr. for a player who could help them win now and could use another guard to fill the void. The new expanded trade rules for teams below the first apron allow the Rockets to acquire Brogdon straight up for Porter Jr.
The Rockets are reportedly looking to package draft compensation with him and have up to 8 second-round picks available to them. Porter Jr.’s contract is fully guaranteed for this season but only guaranteed for $1 million next season. If a deal were to happen, it would most likely occur before the start of the regular season before his guarantee for next season increases to $3 million.
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