Veteran guard Malcolm Brogdon was preparing in June to join the Clippers before three-team trade talks also involving the Celtics and Wizards fell apart. Now a member of the Trail Blazers, Brogdon tells Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints that he preparing for a move to Los Angeles again this fall when Portland was shopping Jrue Holiday after acquiring Holiday from Milwaukee.
“Once Jrue was traded from Milwaukee, I knew Boston had a lot of interest in him and I figured Boston would have a good run at getting him because I was a guy that they were open to trading,” Brogdon said. “… I was preparing myself for both [the Blazers and Clippers] because I thought I might be in Portland and I thought I might be flipped straight to L.A. So I didn’t know, but I was preparing myself.”
The Trail Blazers ended up hanging onto Brogdon, stressing that his veteran leadership will be welcomed in a young locker room, and as part of a young backcourt. However, there’s no guarantee that he’ll finish the season in Portland. For his part, the guard tells Azarly that he’ll remain prepared for any scenario.
“For me, it’s all about me staying sharp,” Brogdon said. “It’s less about the scenario or the situation of the teams.”
Here’s more on the NBA’s two Los Angeles teams:
- While the Clippers have been linked for months to James Harden, do they already have the right play-making guard on their roster in Russell Westbrook? Janis Carr of The Orange County Register (subscriber link) and Dylan Hernandez of The Los Angeles Times explore that topic, with Hernandez noting that head coach Tyronn Lue said Westbrook has “bought in 100%” to what the team needs from him.
- Christian Wood‘s limitations as a defender were considered one key reason why he was unable to land more than a minimum-salary deal as a free agent this offseason, but the Lakers big man impressed the team in his second game on Thursday with the defense he played against Kevin Durant and the Suns, writes Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. “I thought he did about as good as anyone can do,” Ham said of Wood, who grabbed 10 rebounds and was a plus-23 in 21 minutes. “He made a commitment to me when we signed him that that is a part of his game that he wants to get better at. And with his length, his agility, he’s able to contest at a high rate.”
- The Lakers showed in their second game of the season that they’re viewing their 28-to-30-minute plan for LeBron James as more of a loose guideline than a hard cap, as ESPN’s Dave McMenamin and Jovan Buha of The Athletic detail. James played the entire fourth quarter and 35 minutes in total on Thursday to help the club secure a win over Phoenix. “I understand that we definitely have a system put in place, but tonight called for me to go outside the box,” he said after the victory.
Not exactly an encouraging sign they had to take the limit off against a shorthanded Suns team.
Too early to make that kind of determination. Teams are all clearly still figuring out how things work with their new pieces and rotations. Basically no one on either team aside from Durant, AD, and halfway LeBron played well in that game in general. Goodwin and Okogie played decent for the Suns too, I guess. But everyone else on both squads played terribly and LeBron was just okay. Shots just weren’t falling and coordination and teamwork was just off. Pretty much every team has looked that way so far. Heliocentric teams like the Mavs are the ones least affected, but even they showed lumps.
Beal to a lesser extent, but Booker is a top player league wide and their de facto pg
Wood had a good 4th Q defending KD, who still shot 50 % and scored a game high 39 overall.
This game was won by the ref help for the Lakers (ftas in the 4th Q 13-1), that’s a theme that started last season and looks like it could continue.
Certainly had nothing to do with Durant turning the ball over six times in the second half or the Suns turning it over 9 times in the quarter, to 2 for the Lakers. Or the Lakers out-rebounding them. Or Durant going 4-11 in the 4th.
Also five of those ft’s happened in the last sixteen seconds, with the Suns intentionally fouling to try and regain possession. That’s just a risk you take when you’re out of timeouts.
The Suns collapsed completely down the stretch. The ft’s were only part of that. Did you watch the game at all?
“Sure”, because uncalled fouls never become turnovers, right? So take away the 5 ftas, it’s still 8 fta difference in a 4 pt game prior to those last 16 seconds.
Nurk was called for his 5th foul at 7:09 remaining on a flop from AD with zero contact and the Suns up 3. You think that him having to face ejection had no effect (pulled at 6:25 left, returning at 4:14 but couldn’t play strong D with just 1 foul left).
Lakers tied the game on a AD free throw on a virtually no contact visible “foul” called on Gordon.
Then Lebron’s 2 ftas got the lead to 4 pts, 91-87. KD makes 2 shots to tie the game, but no and ones for him…
Yeah because the ref didn’t call any fouls on the Lakers for breathing on Durrant.
The Lakers shot horribly most of the game, it was the Suns imploding in the 4th that decided the game.
Well, the ftas were even in the 1st half where the Suns led by 4, and the Suns were +4 ftas in the 3rd Q as they led by 12.
Brogdon wont stay in Portland. He’ll be moved for sure. Definitely by TD.
No Booker no Beal ….. Suns still had the game. Their bench is better than I thought.