Indiana Pacers: Complete grades for the 2019 NBA offseason
By Fox Doucette
Traded for Malcolm Brogdon
The Milwaukee Bucks needed to clear cap space as they prepare to try and build a champion around Giannis Antetokounmpo and win the franchise’s first title since 1971.
The Indiana Pacers desperately needed a point guard and, thanks to the fleecing of the Phoenix Suns, had exactly the sorts of trade chips that are like sweet, delicious strawberries for a contender clearing cap space.
And in one of those “each side has something the other needs” they teach you about in Econ 101, a trade happened.
Malcolm Brogdon had 1.6 value over replacement player in 64 games with Milwaukee last year. Darren Collison had 1.8 VORP in 78 games. This is, on paper, a lateral move.
But Brogdon is a 2016 Rookie of the Year who turns 27 in December, improved markedly in every advanced stat you can fish off of Basketball Reference last year, and oh by the way led the league in free throw percentage at 92.3 last season, the kind of clutch free throw shooting the Pacers infamously lacked last season.
And the Pacers got him for nothing but a 2020 lottery-protected first-round draft pick and a pair of future second-rounders.