Ahead of the 2024 NBA Draft, former Portland Trail Blazers point guard Malcolm Brogdon saw his expiring $22.5 million contract shipped to the Washington Wizards in a cost-cutting trade for Joe Cronin.
The 1.93m veteran was sent to Washington, along with the rights to Carlton “Bub” Carrington, a potential 14th overall pick in the 2024 draft, a 2029 first-round pick and two second-round draft picks. In exchange, Portland brought in presumed new small forward Deni Avdija, who is currently signed to a four-year, $55 million contract that will pay him through the 2027-28 season.
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Avdija is an interesting, high-level player, and at just 23, he fits well into Portland’s rebuilding schedule. Last season, he averaged 14.7 points (on .506/.374/.740 shooting), 7.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists, along with 0.8 steals and 0.5 blocks per game in his 75 healthy games.
But what will become of Brogdon?
The 2017 Rookie of the Year with the Milwaukee Bucks and the 2023 Sixth Man of the Year with the Boston Celtics, Brogdon has been hampered by health issues throughout his career. Indeed, he played in just 39 games (25 as a starter) in his lone season with the Trail Blazers, averaging 15.7 points on a .440/.412/.819 hitting line, along with 5.5 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 0.7 steals per night.
Still, he’s been a huge part of the success of some of the Bucks, Indiana Pacers and Celtics in the Eastern Conference playoffs over the years. With his 32nd birthday in 100 days, Brogdon can’t afford to waste even one season playing for a team that went 15-67 last year and seems doomed to bypass the lottery in the years to come.
Yes, the team is bringing in two lottery picks, Carrington and No. 2 pick Alex Sar, as well as No. 24 pick Kyshawn George from the University of Miami.
The Wizards also signed starting center Jonas Valanciunas, 32, who, like Brogdon, should be a steady, veteran presence while he’s on the team. Both players signed fairly reasonable contracts (Valanciunas signed a three-year, $30 million deal), and could easily be traded at some point this offseason. The big problem with Brogdon’s deal, though, is that it’s a bit generous for someone with his injury-plagued resume. Will a contending team really want to take his money? Or could he also be sent to a team looking to clear cap space for a bold run at free agency in 2025?
There is, of course, a third option: Brogdon could negotiate a buyout of his current contract and sign with a new team on a cheap deal. Given that Brogdon is a major injury risk at this point, however, it seems less likely that he would leave that kind of guaranteed piece on the table. But it would be in the best interest of both sides for Washington to move on.
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