Here’s what Brad Stevens said about Malcolm Brogdon, the new-look Celtics and more

Celtics

“We’re looking forward to getting started and here we go.” 

As the Boston Celtics prepare to begin the 2023-24 NBA season, they have some questions to answer about their relationship with guard Malcolm Brogdon.

Brogdon was reportedly very upset that he was almost traded to the Los Angeles Clippers over the summer, and he might still hold some animosity towards the team that nearly dealt him. Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens told The Boston Globe’s Gary Washburn that Brogdon was indeed not happy with the organization but the two sides are looking to put the incident behind them.

“I would say he had every right to feel [upset],” Stevens said. “We said that this summer. But he’s a real pro and so we’ve had several discussions. He’s looking forward to getting started. We’re looking forward to getting started and here we go.” 

Another issue that reportedly upset Brogdon was how the Celtics were handling the elbow injury he suffered during last season’s playoffs. It was also unclear as to whether or not Brogdon would be healthy to begin the season, but Stevens confirmed that Brogdon is back in Boston and will be ready for training camp.

“Everybody’s in Boston, everybody’s healthy, knock on wood,” Stevens said. “If everybody gets through the rest of the week, we should be full next Tuesday when we start practice. We’re excited about that.”

Brogdon is one of the returning pieces on a roster that has experienced massive turnover over the offseason. The Celtics lost Marcus Smart, Grant Williams and almost certainly Blake Griffin, and welcomed Kristaps Porzingis, Oshae Brissett, Lamar Stevens, Svi Mykhailiuk and more. Stevens said that he’s a fan of the Celtics’ new-look roster and has faith in what they can do this season.

“I like this team,” Stevens said. “We’ve been lucky that year in and year out we’ve been in the mix and we have a chance. We’ll see if we take all the appropriate steps to put ourselves in that position.”

Stevens is especially excited about the younger players he added to the roster, including Jordan Walsh, Dalano Banton and Neemias Queta. He acknowledged that they probably won’t see the floor in every game, but he likes their work ethic and believes that they can make a difference to the team going forward.

“I like a lot of our younger guys and what they can ultimately become. We may not see that game to game right now but I’ve been impressed [with] the way they’ve been working. I’m excited about that mix of guys.”

Stevens said that adding young talent to the Celtics has been a focus of his, so that they can learn from the veterans and contribute to the team one day.

“We’re trying to win it but we’re also trying to make sure we are using our other roster spots to make sure we’re investing in younger players.”