The Indiana Pacers were one of the most active teams in the NBA news circle ahead of the trade deadline. Rick Carlisle and company were serious about re-tooling the roster and ended up trading Domantas Sabonis, Caris LeVert, Justin Holiday, and Jeremy Lamb in an attempt to get younger and more dynamic. Indiana is on a new trajectory, but there are plenty of reasons for fans to be excited.
Being able to acquire a young stud point guard like Tyrese Haliburton and a deadly three-point shooter like Buddy Hield was huge for the Pacers. They were also able to keep veteran guard Malcolm Brogdon, who has been fitting in well with his new teammates since returning from an Achilles injury.
Carlisle, who many respect as one of the best coaches in the NBA, spoke out about who he believes the Pacers’ best player is right now.
“He’s the best all-around player on our team, and when he plays it’s a different ball game.”
Most fans probably would have been expecting this headline to end up being about Haliburton. However, there is no question that the Pacers are a better team when Brogdon is on the court. He showed just what he is capable in last night’s big overtime victory over the Orlando Magic.
Brogdon ended up playing 41 minutes and scored 31 points to go along with 11 rebounds and eight assists. He shot 8-for-18 from the floor and knocked down 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. In addition to those shooting numbers, Brogdon got to the free-throw line 15 times and connected on 13 of those attempts.
No one knows what the future holds for Malcolm Brogdon with the Pacers. It seems likely that he will stick around, especially with Rick Carlisle being such a big fan. But, Indiana could also get blown away by a trade offer this offseason that moves him out of town.
Expect to continue hearing rumors about the Pacers moving forward. They have a roster that they really like, but are always looking to make moves to improve. Brogdon appears to be part of their future right now, but anything could change.
