Spurs 'Worst' Trade Destination For Pacers' Malcolm Brogdon?
The San Antonio Spurs will have their work cut out for themselves in the offseason. After finishing with a 34-48 record, they did not advance beyond the play-in tournament — netting them the No. 9 overall pick in the NBA Draft.
Without a clear-cut franchise cornerstone with elite potential, the Spurs are often considered a team that needs to embrace a long-term rebuild. Pursuing trades for veteran players is always an option to be competitive in the short term, but the ceiling is limited on what can be achieved.
NBA Analysis Network recently identified the best and worst landing spots for Malcolm Brogdon if he was to be traded. The Spurs were labeled the 'worst' fit with the reasoning involving potential fit concerns alongside Malcolm Brogdon and not fitting the team's timeline.
In theory, those who remember Brogdon's time with the Milwaukee Bucks would likely view him as an ideal basketball fit. He was a member of the 50-40-90 club when playing primarily off-ball alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Brogdon departed from the Bucks to join the Indiana Pacers in a more substantial initiator role to have the basketball in his hands more frequently. He's shown to be able to frequently get to the rim using his size for a guard but possesses limitations as a shot creator and as a playmaker.
The 2020-21 season was Brogdon's best of his career, with averages of 21.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.9 assists. He's emerged as a prominent option in the Pacers' offense, particularly in his two most recent seasons, with an average of 20.4 points and 5.9 assists.
The circumstances have changed significantly for the Pacers since the trade deadline after moving on from Domantas Sabonis and Caris LeVert. Now, their focus is to build around Tyrese Haliburton along with Chris Duarte and whoever they select with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
The Pacers could trade up from the No. 6 spot, given they have a lot of interest in Jaden Ivey and Keegan Murray. If Indiana manages to move up to select Ivey, it will make a lot of sense for them to trade Brogdon.
Any team that considers trading for Brogdon would need to weigh the risk involved regarding his health concerns. He appeared in just 36 games last season and hasn't appeared in at least 70 games since his rookie campaign in 2016-17.
When considering Brogdon is set to turn 30-years-old during the 2022-23 season, it's tough to necessarily have confidence that he's going to have an easier time staying healthy as he ages. He also is signed through 2025, so it requires a legitimate commitment for the team acquiring him.
As it stands, the Spurs do not appear to be in a position where trading for Brogdon makes sense. Now, it's a little different if the trade conversations were focused on being more of a salary dump scenario where the price would be low.
There's already been reported trade interest from the New York Knicks in Brogdon as a potential backup plan if they successfully prove unable to sign Jalen Brunson in free agency. The Pacers will likely manage to receive too much value in trade talks for Brogdon for the Spurs to justify.
You can follow Grant Afseth on Twitter at @GrantAfseth.
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