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Malcolm Brogdon Traded to Washington Wizards from Portland Trail Blazers

Matt Newton

Former Virginia men's basketball star Malcolm Brogdon was traded from the Portland Trail Blazers to the Washington Wizards.
Former Virginia men's basketball star Malcolm Brogdon was traded from the Portland Trail Blazers to the Washington Wizards. /
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Malcolm Brogdon is on the move. The former Virginia men's basketball star is headed to his fifth NBA team as the Portland Trail Blazers traded Brogdon to the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night in exchange for Deni Avdija. The Trail Blazers are also sending two first round picks and two second round picks to the Wizards as part of the trade.

After a senior season at Virginia that saw him win ACC Player of the Year and ACC Defensive Player of the Year, Brogdon was drafted No. 36 overall by the Milwaukee Bucks and went on to become the first second round draft pick in NBA history to win Rookie of the Year. He also became the eighth player to join the 50-40-90 club in his third season but was then traded to the Indiana Pacers in the summer of 2019, connecting with Pacers head coach and UVA basketball alum Rick Carlisle.

After three seasons in Indiana, Brogdon was traded to the Boston Celtics, where he won Sixth Man of the Year in the 2022-2023 season, becoming the second player in NBA history to win both the Sixth Man and Rookie of the Year awards. That ended up being Brogdon's only season in Boston, as he was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers last summer in exchange for Jrue Holiday.

Read more: Virginia's Ryan Dunn Selected 28th Overall by Phoenix Suns in 2024 NBA Draft

Brogdon's eighth season in the NBA brought significant injury troubles, as he played in just 39 games with 25 starts, but he still produced when he was on the floor, averaging 15.7 points, 5.5 assists, and 3.8 rebounds and shot 41.2% from three.

There's a chance the Wizards might make another trade to move Brogdon somewhere else. He has one year left on his current contract and is set to earn $22.5 million. As a veteran with significant playoff experience, a contender might be willing to part ways with valuable assets to acquire him in a deal that may be too attractive for the rebuilding Wizards to pass up.

If Brogdon does stay in Washington, he should be the starting point guard as the team's lead point guard from last season, Tyus Jones, is currently a free agent, and there aren't many other point guard options on the roster.

If Brogdon stays in Washington, it could mean a reunion with former Virginia teammate Anthony Gill, who has been with the Wizards since 2020, but is currently set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer.

UVA fans, and especially those who are also Wizards fans, are certainly hopeful that Brogdon and Gill are teammates in Washington this year.

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Matt Newton
MATT NEWTON

Matt launched Virginia Cavaliers On SI in August of 2021 and has since served as the site's publisher and managing editor, covering all 23 NCAA Division I sports teams at the University of Virginia. He is from Downingtown, Pennsylvania and graduated from UVA in May of 2021.