One-Time Blazers Guard Could Become Prime Buyout Market Candidate: Report

Could this ex-Portland standout change someone's championship trajectory?

Nov 26, 2023; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (0) shoots against Portland Trail Blazers guard Malcolm Brogdon (11) during the first quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images / Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

One-time former Portland Trail Blazers guard Malcolm Brogdon could become a primo target for another team, with the 2024-25 NBA season's February 6 trade deadline less than two weeks away.

Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints indicates that Brogdon, now with the Washington Wizards on an expiring $22.5 million contract, is not long for his current team — one way or another.

“The former NBA Sixth Man of the Year won't be with Washington for too much longer, as it's expected that the two sides will part ways either by trade or a buyout, sources said,” Siegel writes. Brogdon won that award the year before his Portland tenure, when he was a key reserve for the Boston Celtics.

The Wizards are the league's worst team by record at 6-37, and it's clear the club is headed nowhere fast. Brogdon's timeline doesn't match Washington's, and it would be ideal for him and the Wizards if he could be offloaded.

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Brogdon stands at a big 6-foot-4, capable of playing at either guard spot. And even in his relative NBA dotage last season (he was 31), he proved he was still a solid defender.

Really enjoying Malcolm Brogdon on the Blazers pic.twitter.com/o7V6DjUAUY

— Brett Usher (@UsherNBA) November 4, 2023

Brogdon has struggled with injury issues throughout his career. He's only played more than 56 games three times in a nine-year career. With Portland, he was only available for 39 bouts (25 starts). In those contests, Brogdon averaged 15.7 points on .440/.412/.819 shooting splits, 5.5 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 0.7 steals a night.

That elite 3-point conversion rate made him a threat from all over the floor. His 41.2 percent 3-point percentage arrived on a robust 5.1 triple tries a night.

Malcolm Brogdon making things happen for the Blazers from deep 🎯pic.twitter.com/lxCeMBAWdd

— Blazers Nation (@BlazersNationCP) January 18, 2024

Brogdon makes sense playing limited minutes off the bench for a contender. It may be tough for a team hoping to compete for a title to accommodate his entire salary, so a buyout may make sense.

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Brogdon has missed over half of the Wizards' games this season with various injuries. In 18 healthy games for Washington, he has produced, scoring 13.8 points on .443/.313/.866 shooting splits, pulling down 4.1 rebounds, dishing out 3.9 assists, and swiping 0.6 steals a night.

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