Malcolm Brogon made peace after “personal” trade with the Celtics

Malcolm Brogdon’s time with the Celtics was short, but notable.

He won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year in his lone season with the Celtics in 2022-23, helping Boston reach the Eastern Conference Finals. Then he, Robert Williams III and draft assets were traded to the Portland Trailblazers in exchange for Jrue Holiday.

Brogdon, now with the Washington Wizards, said the trade worked for the Celtics, who won the NBA title last year after adding Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis.

But he also explained why such exchanges can feel personal.

“Guys get traded every year. I think for teams, a lot of the time it’s not personal, it’s a business decision. For the players, it’s personal,” Brogdon said in a video posted by CLNS Media. “Ultimately, you uproot your family. You are moving to a new city. You have to adapt to a situation. But honestly, it was a good trade for them. We will both be good in the long run.

When asked to further detail his frustrations with the Celtics at the time of the trade, Brogdon said he didn’t want to broach the subject.

“I honestly can’t even talk about it anymore,” Brogdon said, shaking his head. “I made peace with the situation and moved on. I’m in a good position now.

Brogdon said going from a winning situation with the Celtics to two rebuilding situations in Washington and Portland required mental adjustments. Washington acquired Brogdon from Portland in a trade for Deni Avdija last summer.

“It’s definitely a mentality shift,” Brogdon said. “You go from a championship-caliber team to a team that’s trying to rebuild the right way in Portland and then to a team in Washington that’s kind of trying to retool and build it the right way.

“For me, it’s just about leading and being myself in those situations and keeping my game sharp. This is what I can control.

Jaylen Brown said seeing players like Brogdon and Williams, who endured playoff battles with the Celtics but were traded before the team got over the hump and won the Finals, is a good feeling.

“It’s family. We were in the trenches with a lot of those guys,” Brown said. “A lot of adversity goes through the different seasons and it’s always great to see them and know their family is doing well.” Knowing that their mind is in the right place and they are in a good mood is a good thing.

“Obviously we all know it’s a business, things happen, you move on,” he added. “I think that’s part of it. But knowing that they’re doing well outside of basketball and continuing to be in good spirits is really all you can do.

Brogdon, 31, is a former Rookie of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year. He’s a veteran on a young, struggling Wizards team. Washington’s record fell to 2-12 with the loss to the Celtics.

After leaving the bench in Boston, he is counted on to lead Washington.

“You play with the cards you are dealt. At some point. Of course, things change. Things change for every player at some point in their career,” Brogdon said. “For me it has changed several times over the last two years. For me, it’s about accepting the situation you find yourself in. I have been tasked here with leading the young guys and this growing team. I appreciate that.

Brogdon had a double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds in the loss to Boston. The game was close throughout, but the Celtics pulled away for a 12-point victory. He said he enjoyed playing the Celtics and the way they closed out the game showed why they were the defending champions.

“They’re a very well-rounded team, the way they’re built,” Brogdon said. “I think the Jays together, people have always criticized them over the years. They can’t play together, their games are too similar, they’ve heard everything.

I think they came together and figured out how to play well and integrate well on the court on both ends. They embraced the defensive side and learned to play together on offense. I think they’re awesome, man. They are currently the best duo in the NBA. This is what you see every night.

Khari A Thompson

Sports journalist

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Khari Thompson covers professional sports for Boston.com. Before joining the team in 2022, Khari covered college football for The Clarion Ledger in Jackson, Miss.

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