The Boston Celtics followed up their NBA Finals run with one of the biggest free agent signings of the summer: 29-year-old point guard Malcolm Brogdon, who will bring a variety of skills to Boston's backcourt.
While the team has made other notable moves this offseason, the addition of Brogdon alone has the potential to make Boston a significantly better team.
Here's what one rival executive had to say about the move in a chat with Heavy’s Steve Bulpett:
An exec from one Eastern Conference club had his mood change in a conversation with Heavy Sports when Malcolm Brogdon‘s name was raised. The context was whether the 6-foot-5 guard acquired from Indiana will be a serious help to the Celts.
“He will,” the executive said. “He’ll be good for them. Going to Boston, with strong people around him, unfortunately, yes, he’ll be good for them. I think he’s going to make them a lot better — which pisses me off.”
For the Celtics, their success hinges on the play of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. If they play well, Boston will be in the mix. When it comes to the other guys like Marcus Smart, Derrick White, and Robert Williams, they are the key to putting this team over the top.
Either way, the Celtics are even better than they were last year, thanks to Brogdon, Gallinari, and the experience all of the guys gained from their recent playoff run.
“We knew Boston had talent going into last year, but we weren’t really looking at them as contending to get to the Finals," said another executive. "I don’t think anyone really was. When you saw Milwaukee and Brooklyn and Philadelphia, although they had the (Ben) Simmons question, people weren’t really worried about them (Celtics). But after how Boston got it together and got to the Finals, we’re all looking at them now — and they got better. A lot better. They got a shooter (Gallinari) and they got a guard who can be solid on both ends and can go for a big number offensively in the right situation."
It remains to be seen if the Celtics can maintain their status as an Eastern elite, but there is no question that they have earned the respect of teams around the league.
If things fall the right way, it could end in a championship for the Cs. If not, you can't say that Brad Stevens didn't do everything in his power to give his team the best chance to win.
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