“My girlfriend is actually really good friends with his brother’s girlfriend" - Marcus Smart reflects on former ROY winner's potential value for Boston Celtics
The reigning Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart commended the Boston Celtics' acquisition of Malcolm Brogdon this summer. Smart acknowledged the traits Brogdon will bring to the table for the franchise ahead of the upcoming season.
In an interview with CLNS Media, the defensive stalwart spoke about the reinforcement of the roster with the acquisition of Malcolm Brogdon. Smart said that he has crossed paths with him on numerous occasions on the court and knows the value that he brings to the team.
"My girlfriend is actually really good friends with his brother’s girlfriend, so I’ve kind of known Malcolm for a while and (he’s a) cool guy. I love his game. I love everything he brings. When I’m playing against him, I love it, I’m constantly talking to him," Smart said.
Marcus Smart also spoke about how the signing of Brogdon elevates some pressure from the shoulders of himself and the likes of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.
"Just the challenge that he brings, he allows me to be the better version of myself. I think it’s a perfect fit. He provides some of the things that we’re going to need and it definitely takes pressure off of me, Jayson and Jaylen," Smart said.
The Boston Celtics identified their weaknesses after the conclusion of last season and have strengthened in the off-season with the signings of Brogdon and Danilo Gallinari. While the latter is set to miss a considerable amount of time on the sidelines due to a knee injury he picked up on national team duty, he is still a good signing that brings firepower off the bench for the Celtics.
Smart reflects on Finals loss, lessons learned: “We have to take the lesson the hard way. We learned a lot out of our experience and unfortunately we had to lose to do that, but we now know what it takes."
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What does Malcolm Brogdon bring to the Boston Celtics?
With the Indiana Pacers heading into the rebuilding phase, the front office was keen on shedding players on big contracts either by trading them or not renewing their contract. Malcolm Brogdon was one such player as the Boston Celtics pounced on their opportunity by trading Daniel Theis, Aaron Nesmith, Nik Stauskas, Malik Fitts, Juwan Morgan and a 2023 first-round pick.
Brogdon finished the season averaging 19.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game while shooting the ball nearly 45% from the field. He is also shooting at a shade over 31% from the perimeter. While these are by no means eye-catching numbers, Brogdon isn't expected to be the primary or secondary scoring option.
Celtics acquire Malcolm Brogdon, 1 of 20 active players with 15 PPG and an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.0 or better in their careers. https://t.co/AA7qKjy8Z9
The Boston Celtics expect Malcolm Brogdon to be an auxiliary part of the roster. The franchise needs a point guard to orchestrate the offense. Coming off the bench, Brogdon can provide the Celtics with an offensive burst while playing next to either Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown.
The Boston Celtics could also include Malcolm Brogdon in their closing lineup. Brogdon is more than a handy defender and a much better offensive player than Marcus Smart. All of these reasons make him an excellent acquisition this summer.