BOSTON — When Malcolm Brogdon was on the verge of being traded this summer, the Pacers gave the guard a few options to pick from before he ultimately decided on the Celtics.
The choice was relatively easy for Brogdon, who’s made it as far as the conference finals once — in 2019 with the Bucks — in his first six seasons.
“I picked Boston because I want to win,” Brogdon said earlier this week.
Joining a Celtics team fresh off an NBA Finals appearance and ready for another championship will come with some sacrifice for Brogdon, but he’s more than OK with that.
For three years in Indiana, the guard was one of the Pacers’ primary scorers. The last two years, though injuries limited him, he was their leading scorer. But with the C’s, Brogdon probably won’t even start, more likely playing a sixth man role and leading the second unit.
But Brogdon knew what he was signing up for. On Wednesday — two days into training camp — he called these Celtics the most talented team he’s played with. He’s not here to get in the way.
In what ways has Brogdon been trying to mesh with his new team early in camp?
“Being unselfish is one,” he said. “A guy like me that’s coming in here and not going to be the first or second option just being willing to sacrifice. I came from a team where I was a leading scorer, and guys know that. They know what I can do, they know what I did. So to come in here and be able to sacrifice and turn down shots to get a better shot and set these guys up, that shows a lot.”
That hasn’t seemed to be a difficult change for Brogdon, who’s comfortable being a small part of a larger sum even though he could easily be a top option elsewhere in the league.
“I think it’s about keeping everything in perspective and being honest with yourself, about where you are in your career, what type of players you’re playing with and what your real goal is,” Brogdon said. “Is your goal to make money? Is your goal to get a lot of stats and outscore people, or is your goal to win? At this point in my career, my goal is to win, and I’m going to do everything I can to make that happen.”
Early on, Brogdon is still figuring out what adjustments he needs to make that come with transitioning to a new team, both on the court and as a leader for a group that already has several strong voices. But he seems confident he’ll fit right in.
“It takes time, it’s a day by day thing,” Brogdon said. “It definitely can be tough, but a guy like me, I’m in my seventh year, I have a good feel, I’ve watched this team, I’ve played against these guys so much, I know what they are missing, and I know what I can provide. So for me, it’s being aggressive and continuing to play my game.”
Bigger role for Kornet?
With Rob Williams out 8-12 weeks as he recovers from left knee surgery, the Celtics may be looking to Luke Kornet to help fill the void. On Day 1 of camp on Tuesday, Kornet was running alongside the starting unit at the end of practice. That may not necessarily indicate that Kornet will start at center when the season begins, but it could hint that the C’s want to continue playing big, which was successful for them last year with Williams in the lineup.
“I think that was our identity last year, was trying to play big,” new coach Joe Mazzulla said. “We’re trying to figure out our identity on the defensive end, and keeping as consistent as we can is important. So I definitely think it’s something.”
The C’s may also play more small ball in the absence of Williams, especially with their strong guard depth. Mazzulla is staying open-minded.
“I think we have to be ready for anything,” Mazzulla said. “The NBA season is a long season. We don’t know what to expect or what’s going to happen. I think trying different things gives us different identities. I felt the one thing we did great last year was we did what made sense where we found what the matchup was. If there was a lineup we can get to that makes sense and gets us an advantage on both ends of the floor, then I think we do it.”
C’s explore Larranaga return?
Could Jay Larranaga be coming back to the Celtics’ bench?
The C’s are reportedly seeking permission to talk to Larranaga — who was an assistant in Boston from 2012-21 before he joined the Clippers’ staff last season — about returning to assist Mazzulla.
Mazzulla didn’t deny the report when asked Wednesday.
“I think for me, it’s more about just studying our environment and figuring out what we need to help our staff and not just considering myself, but considering what do our players need?” Mazzulla said. “What are they familiar with and what are they looking for on our staff? And so I think we’re just going to evaluate that and figure out where we are.”
