INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics improved their backcourt depth Friday by acquiring combo guard Malcolm Brogdon in a muitl-player trade with the Indiana Pacers, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press.
Indiana receives five players, all backup forwards with Boston, and a 2023 first-round draft pick, according to the person who spoke to AP on condition of anonymity because the deal cannot officially be announced until next week.
Brogdon's fate with Indiana was essentially sealed when the Pacers acquired point guard Tyrese Haliburton from Sacramento in a flurry of moves at the midseason trade deadline. It was clear the franchise would rebuild the team with Haliburton as the foundational piece.
Many expected Brogdon would be dealt on draft night, but Boston finally provided the offer Indiana was seeking on the second day of free agency.
The Pacers receive Daniel Theis, Aaron Nesmith and Nic Stauskas — both first-round picks — Juwan Morgan and Malik Fitts. Aside from adding Theis' physical presence, the Pacers could now have three first-round picks in 2023 and enough cap room to give them an additional $31 million to spend.
In Brogdon, the Celtics are getting a proven leader who averaged 19.1 points, 5.9 assists and 5.1 rebounds last season. And he should fit right in with a backcourt that already features Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown and Derrick White, who played a key role in Boston's run to its first NBA Finals appearance since 2010. The Celtics lost to Golden State in six games.
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