Indiana Pacers: One big mistake from the Brogdon trade that may backfire

Right from the beginning of the offseason, the Indiana Pacers put a laser on eyeing a new club for Malcolm Brogdon. Despite some delay, the front office succeeded, sending the veteran guard to the Boston Celtics in a deal that reaffirmed the franchise’s commitment to its young core.

The Brogdon trade was ideal, but it was also far from perfect. In fact, some fans expressed varying degrees of dismay with the fact that the Pacers failed to land an immediate contributor in return, though many have pointed out that the front office did well in light of his noticeably waning value as a trade piece.

However, there is one omission on Indiana’s part from the deal that could end up haunting them back later on.

The Indiana Pacers may have committed a big mistake from the Malcolm Brogdon trade

What the Indiana Pacers got for Malcolm Brogdon includes a heavily protected 2023 first-round pick, Aaron Nesmith, Daniel Theis, and a concierto of negligible third-stringers. It is definitely not a haul worth writing home about, but Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer added to the smoke, dishing something that could make the detractors raise their eyebrows to ceiling level.

Now, Grant Williams is not an instant game-changer, but he is a good role player with a lot of two-way malleability to his game. In fact, he was one of the Boston Celtics’ most vital players, arming them with a versatile frontcourt piece whom they can match up against guards, wings, and even centers in pinches. Offensively, he has become a very reliable three-point shooter, especially in the corners.

Had the Pacers acquired him, the team would have had a stronger frontcourt to trot out next season. His versatility alone fixes a lot of holes on the roster. Better yet, at 23, he fits perfectly with the young core’s timeline.

The fact that Indiana could have probably snagged him from Boston should they have pressed harder is also disappointing, especially with Williams’ indispensability having been shaved a tad in light of the Celtics adding Danilo Gallinari.

Nevertheless, the Indiana Pacers will probably look at this deal in a positive light given the multitude of openings that Malcolm Brogdon’s departure provides, but failing to acquire Grant Williams, while certainly not the end of the world, could prove to be a big, missed opportunity moving forward.