Boston’s first failed attempt to trade for Kristaps Prozingis and include Malcolm Brogdon in the deal has left a bitter taste in the veteran guard’s mouth.
By all reports, the C’s had a deal in place in June that would have seen Brogdon land at the Clippers, Marcus Morris head to the Wizards and The Unicorn land in Boston.
That trade deal fell through because LA were concerned about Brogdon’s right arm injury and instead, the Celtics pulled off a blockbuster three-team trade that saw Marcus Smart get traded to Memphis.
Brogdon was not at all happy with the franchise about being potentially traded away, The Boston Globe’s Gary Washburn says.
“We’ll see how Malcolm [Brogdon] is,” Washburn said on Celtics All Access on CLNS. “Malcolm’s the one I’m concerned about too, because we’ve heard nothing, and he’s angry with the team. I don’t think communication between the two sides has been fruitful. He could just say, ‘Listen, I’m not getting surgery. I’m just gonna let this heal, and you’ll have to wait for me.’ It could be a protest for being on the trade block.”
Washburn went on to clarify that this is how Brogdon felt earlier in the summer, so it will be a bit of a wait and see game on how he’s feeling come training camp.
“There (was) a problem, Washburn explained. “He was not happy. Now, he was not happy in July. Is he the same level of unhappiness in September? We don’t know. He hasn’t talked all summer.
“… But yeah, Malcolm Brogdon was not happy about the deal or being potentially dealt. He was pissed.”
The 30-year-old didn’t have a bad season at all coming off the bench, as he averaged 14.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists on 48.4 percent shooting from the field.
Injuries did prevent him from contributing strongly in the postseason, but to get traded would have been a tough pill to swallow.
Brogdon won’t be the Celtics’ only concern as new recruit Kristaps Porzingis is dealing with plantar fasciitis in his right foot and undergoing rehab to try and get himself right for the start of the season.