Malcolm Brogdon returns to Indiana with fond memories of his Pacers tenure

Brogdon spent three seasons with the Pacers, including a playoff berth in 2020

Malcolm Brogdon joined the Indiana Pacers at a time when the team was ascending. They had just reached the postseason as a top-five seed for the second straight season, Victor Oladipo had been named an All-Star for two-straight campaigns, Domantas Sabonis was becoming a premier talent in the league, and the team made several important additions. Once Oladipo returned from injury, the team was in position to be a force in the Eastern Conference with Brogdon in the mix.

The first season that Brogdon donned the blue and gold, the team finished fourth in the East. A foot injury to Domantas Sabonis and running into a red-hot Miami team sunk the Pacers in the 2020 postseason, but the franchise looked like they were in a good position to be a solid team for the coming years.

Instead, things went the opposite direction. Indiana finished ninth in the East the following season and fell in the play-in tournament, and they missed the postseason entirely in 2021-22. Still, despite things taking a turn for the worse in Indianapolis, Brogdon fondly remembers his time with the Pacers.

"It's nice man. I called this place home for three years. I enjoyed my three years here. It's a good organization. It's nice, I have a lot of good memories," Brogdon said of the Pacers on Thursday morning. He had just finished shootaround with the rest of his Celtics teammates.

"I did a lot of work with my foundation in the Indiana Public School System," the Boston guard specified of his favorite memories. His foundation formed and took off after he was traded from the Milwaukee Bucks to the Pacers. "Being out in the community. That's one of my best memories here."

Despite team success never materializing the way the organization had hoped, Brogdon was solid as the starting point guard for Indiana. He averaged 18.9 points and 6.3 assists per game across three seasons, and he played and started in 146 games. At his best, he was a threat for 20 points every night, and his defense was solid to boot.

Health and rim finishing were two of Brogdon's key weaknesses that held the team back, and his on-court chemistry with other key Pacers players rarely looked pristine. But he was still a top-50 or so player in the league during his time with the Pacers, and he was a crucial part of the team's strong 2019-20 season.

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Now in Boston, Brogdon is adjusting to a new role. He is coming off the bench, which he says is helpful in identifying how a game is going before checking in and adding impact. Payton Pritchard says that Brogdon is a great teammate and uplifting person, and the young guard added that he believes Brogdon should be Sixth Man of the Year.

This is the situation Brogdon wanted. He identified the Celtics, the 2022 Eastern Conference Champions, as a place where he could go and win. "Absolutely. When I knew they were interested, this is a place I pushed for," the 30-year old said Thursday. He confirmed that he did work with the Pacers on finding a trade destination, and that process started before the 2022 draft. Boston stood out, and Indiana received Daniel Theis, Aaron Nesmith, and a 2023 first round draft pick for Brogdon.

It has turned out to be a win-win trade, with Nesmith doing particularly well in Indiana. Theis debuted for the blue and gold a few weeks ago and has shown how he can help the team, too. Both teams have to be happy with the deal.

Tonight, Brogdon will play in Indianapolis for the first time since the trade. He already went against the Pacers once in Boston, and he finished with 18 points, four rebounds, and seven assists that night. But today will be the first time he plays in Gainbridge Fieldhouse since being with the blue and gold.

The point guard views tonight as just another game, and he said his focus is on getting the Celtics another win. Boston is just 0.5 games ahead of the second-place Bucks. But there will likely be a little bit more emotion than a standard game for the seven-year veteran, especially as he lines up against former teammates like Myles Turner, T.J. McConnell, Oshae Brissett, and Chris Duarte. They all played with Brogdon for at least one full season.

Brogdon's Pacers tenure ended on a low note, with the team winning just 25 games in his final season with the franchise. That year prompted Indiana to change directions and enter a new era. "Things happened. We never really got healthy, I think that was the common theme of the three years," Brogdon said of the Pacers shortcomings while he was with the team. "We had some turnover. There's nothing I can specifically put my finger on. I thought we had a good roster all my years. Sometimes, it just doesn't work."

The Pacers pivoting to a rebuild was best for everyone, Brogdon included. He could win Sixth Man of the Year this season and will be in contention for an NBA Championship. Tonight, though, the Pacers and Brogdon's paths will cross once again in Indianapolis, a place that Brogdon has fond memories on and off the court.

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