Heading into the 2021-22 season, the Boston Celtics had a single starting-caliber level guard on the roster, Marcus Good, and it was set to be his first full-time season. Dennis Schroder and Payton Pritchard rounded out the place on the bench, nevertheless it was clear Boston wanted extra assist. Over the following yr, they added two extra high-level level guards to the combination, making a three-headed monster of Good, Derrick White, and Malcolm Brogdon.
Within the Celtics’ full season with White and Brogdon in tow, they fell wanting their final purpose, dropping to the Miami Warmth within the Jap Convention Finals. However how did White and Brogdon carry out?
Derrick White
Maybe the largest shock of the season, White was super for the Celtics in each sense of the phrase. Newly-minted head coach Joe Mazzulla determined to roll with him as a starter over Robert Williams, and whereas the prioritized offensive identification rubbed some folks the incorrect method, the outcomes spoke for themselves.
White was much better as a starter than coming off the bench. He appeared in all 82 video games for the Celtics, notched a career-high three-point share at 38.1% (exterior of his low-volume rookie season), and was named to the All-Defensive Second Group, main all NBA guards in blocks.
His common season confirmed why Brad Stevens invested so many belongings into buying and selling for him, however the playoffs elevated his Bostonian standing to the following stage.
There was a case to be made that White was Boston’s third-best participant within the common season, and within the first spherical of the playoffs, he confirmed that thought. From the leap, White was phenomenal. He earned MVP chants at TD Backyard towards the Atlanta Hawks. He had a number of down video games combined in, however he was certainly one of Boston’s most constant gamers within the postseason.
And whereas it should seemingly be erased from historical past because of Boston’s Recreation 7 loss to the Warmth, White’s game-winner in Recreation 6 took the world by storm for 48 hours.
White established himself as one of the best guard on the roster this previous season, and whereas Good’s place within the beginning lineup seemingly received’t change, there’s an actual case for White to be a full-time starter. Good is a greater playmaker and total defender and Brogdon is a greater shooter, however White proved to be probably the most full guard. Working double-big lineups could also be one of the simplest ways to maximise Boston’s potential as a defensive unit, however taking White out of the beginning group shouldn’t be the best way to try this.
Because the Celtics discover potential commerce choices this summer time, the guard rotation can be checked out by way of a magnifying glass. Having White, Good, and Brogdon collectively on the roster could possibly be redundant, particularly contemplating the workforce’s lack of wing depth. And with the season White simply put forth, he needs to be the final to be thought-about in commerce talks.
Malcolm Brogdon
Final summer time, Boston’s commerce for Malcolm Brogdon appeared like the right transfer. They’d simply misplaced to the Golden State Warriors within the NBA Finals and desperately wanted one other man who may arrange the offense and create for himself.
Brogdon introduced that to the desk.
For the primary time in his profession, Brogdon was requested to return off the bench, which labored to perfection. The lessened load allowed Brogdon to remain wholesome, which led to him taking part in within the second-most video games of his profession (67) and probably the most since his rookie season.
He churned out environment friendly efficiency after environment friendly efficiency, ending the season because the league’s fourth-best three-point shooter (44.4%). By yr’s finish, he was named the Sixth Man of the Yr.
All the things appeared to work completely till it didn’t.
Boston introduced Brogdon on board partially for his shot creation, however arguably the largest purpose was due to his playmaking. Good was the one true playmaker that they had on the roster the season prior, and Brogdon was coming off two-straight seasons of averaging almost six assists per sport.
And whereas he put up 3.7 assists per sport in his bench function, that quantity dipped to 2.9 within the playoffs, as Brogdon changed into one other score-first possibility on a workforce stuffed with them. Relatively than being the playmaking level guard Boston desperately wanted alongside Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, Brogdon constantly known as his personal quantity, appearing because the Kemba Walker and Kyrie Irving-type score-first man that failed to assist the Celtics recover from the hump.
His lack of expertise for the lob go was brutal, constantly lacking Robert Williams and others rolling to the rim. He was additionally a horrible finisher on the rim, one thing that carried over from his in any other case rock-solid common season run. Brogdon shot 50.0% inside 5 ft of the basket within the playoffs; solely 5 gamers shot worse than him from that distance, and 4 had been eradicated within the first spherical. (And the opposite was James Harden.)
That’s to not say Brogdon didn’t have worth. His three-point taking pictures was essential towards the Philadelphia 76ers. However Mazzulla usually wrongly used the logic of “good three-point taking pictures equals extra minutes.” Brogdon’s taking pictures was vital, however as the one guard on the ground or the first ball-handler, he left a lot to be desired within the playmaking division.
Brogdon tore a tendon in his arm and had been taking part in by way of it towards the Warmth. Sadly, his taking pictures stroke was gone. He finally earned fewer and fewer minutes till he was fully unplayable, which was removed from his personal fault.
His struggles all culminated on the worst time. He performed simply 7:05 in Recreation 7 towards the Warmth however was a -15 — the third-worst plus/minus on the workforce.
Reflecting on the Brogdon commerce almost a yr later, it’s exhausting to say it was a loss. They gave up zero every-night gamers, and whereas having their first-round decide on this yr’s draft would have been good, Brogdon holds extra worth than that.
On the identical time, Brogdon didn’t present the Celtics with what they need to have needed. His three-point success and shot creation was useful. All through the common season and postseason, he was a constant supply of offense. However it was a one-man offense. Too usually did Brogdon name his personal quantity as a substitute of throwing a straightforward lob to Williams or kicking the ball to Tatum or Brown. Relatively than appearing because the pass-first level guard many had been anticipating and hoping he’d be, Brogdon changed into a better-shooting, upgraded model of Schroder, a participant who clearly didn’t match the Celtics wants. Clearly, Brogdon match the Celtics significantly better than Schroder did, however on the finish of the day, his score-first mentality received’t assist elevate the Celtics into the championship workforce they are often at their peak.
Now, heading right into a summer time of potential modifications, Brogdon looks like the apparent alternative of the three guards to be traded. Good’s protection and playmaking are extra worthwhile on the guard spot than Brogdon’s taking pictures, particularly for the reason that Celtics may commerce him for taking pictures at a extra handy place. In the meantime, White’s all-around sport has him in place to be Boston’s greatest guard subsequent yr.
Brogdon’s first season with the Celtics wasn’t a failure, nevertheless it wasn’t what the workforce essentially wanted. Buying and selling him for an improve on the wing or an additional backup huge could possibly be the workforce’s subsequent transfer, and with how a lot Brogdon makes mixed with Boston’s have to re-sign Grant Williams, it makes all of the extra sense.
The Celtics are in a significantly better spot on the level guard place now than they had been two seasons in the past. Going from Walker, Good, and Brad Wanamaker to Good, White, and Brogdon is a large enchancment. However it’s gotten to the purpose the place their guard play could possibly be too overwhelming.
In Recreation 1 towards the Warmth, Mazzulla rolled out an eight-man rotation with White, Brogdon, and Payton Pritchard off the bench. Three guards.
Buying and selling one of many three guards for added wing depth needs to be an avenue the Celtics significantly contemplate this summer time, and Brogdon could possibly be the clear option to be thrown in mentioned deal.
Each White and Brogdon had strong seasons. White was Boston’s third-best participant by the top of the season. However the flaws of the Sixth Man of the Yr, harm or not, overshadowed his successes.