Indiana Pacers Season Review: Grading Malcolm Brogdon in 2021-22

Malcolm Brogdon’s season is an interesting thing to reflect on as the Indiana Pacers season came and went. From missing games to putting up solid stats across the board, there is a lot to unpack from Brogdon’s third season with the team.

Brogdon’s playing season lasted for just 36 games. In three seasons, he has yet to play over 56 games in a season while battling with differing injuries year in and year out.

Malcolm Brogdon’s season stats: 19.1 PPG, 5.9 AST, 5.1 RPG, while shooting 44.8% from the field and 31.2% from three.

What went right for Brogdon throughout this down season with the Indiana Pacers?

When Malcolm Brogdon is available for the Pacers, he has been good in many ways from getting to the rim to knocking down shots at a high percentage.

When he is healthy, he has been quite good at getting o the rim and being a decent floor spacer. However, most of his easier shots came off a Sabonis screen and he has only played eight games since the trade deadline.

Those eight games were beneficial for Brogdon in getting to see the new roster on the court instead of on paper and see where he fits in a small sample.

He scored his season-high 31 points and 11 rebounds against the Orlando Magic while playing alongside Haliburton after the deadline. This was a great confidence boost for his injury, as he played 41 minutes to lead the Pacers to a win.

The Indiana Pacers also paid him this year, extending him an extra two seasons along with $45M on the way. Since signing this extension, Brogdon wasn’t able to be traded and remains ineligible until Apr. 18th.

"Rick Carlisle holds high praise for the veteran guard saying after a game, “(He was) the best player on the floor tonight. He’s our old pro. The best all-around player on our team, and when he plays, it’s a different ballgame”."

I think Brogdon can work in Indiana as they try to build this team in a different way around a new young core of players and lottery picks. It all depends on if he can stay healthy.

What went wrong for Brogdon?

Well, he didn’t play.

This season has been a slight regression statistically, which will happen when you only play 36 games and your team only wins 25 games. Last season he averaged 21.2 PPG while shooting 38% from behind the arc.

In fact, teammates of his with a better 3P% than him this season (31.2% in 36 games, min 2 attempts): Sabonis, Turner, Lamb, Craig, LeVert, and seven others.

Now I am factoring in that he was not his full self for most of the season while battling a sore Achillies and when he was full strength later in the season, there was rust to knock off. He played 18 consecutive games this season, then after that stretch, he never played more than 5 games in a row to end the year.

After the trade deadline, everything was different and goals for the franchise shifted with the addition of Tyrese Haliburton. Brogdon played a few games where he held the title of “point guard one” but it became clear that Haliburton’s ability to facilitate for others is at a different level than the veteran.

Brogdon posted just 4 games with double-digit assists whereas Haliburton posted 12 of those games in his time with the Indiana Pacers.

This is not to say Brogdon cant facilitate, but when side by side with Haliburton it is not a surprise to see Haliburton notching more games in double-figure assists.

Brogdon’s season was short, the Pacers’ season was not what they had hoped, but the franchise has options in ways they can go this offseason like they haven’t in a while.

I think a healthy Brogdon makes sense for next year’s roster, despite trade rumors already brewing, but I wouldn’t be surprised with anything after this year’s trade deadline moves.

Grade: C