Malcolm Brogdon

After three injury-riddled seasons in Indiana, the Pacers dealt Brogdon this summer as part of their rebuild. The return haul for Indy was modest, probably because Brogdon averaged only 49 games played per season as a Pacer. Last season, the versatile guard missed 40 of Indiana's last 50 games due to back issues and Indiana's tank-mode tactics. That said, Brogdon started every game he played and averaged 33.5 minutes per contest. And he's not far removed from the 2020-21 season where he averaged career-highs in points (21.2), rebounds (5.3) and made three-pointers (2.6) per contest. In addition to his injury woes, Brogdon is expected to come off the bench for Boston this season. The Celtics' starting five was dominant during the second half of last season's NBA Finals run. The C's would be foolish to mess with the lineup, and Brogdon stated in his first Celtics press conference that he's willing to "sacrifice" to win. A sixth-man role is forthcoming -- this team is deep. After Boston was eliminated in the Finals, President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens made it clear the team was looking for more playmaking. Brogdon's career average of 4.8 dimes per game certainly meets that need. But his scoring and outside shooting make him an excellent reserve on the wing, as well. At 6-foot-5, Brogdon provides the defensive flexibility required for Boston's switching defense, which should keep him on the floor. All in all, expect Brogdon to see a dip in minutes per game while he attempts to play 70-plus games, a feat he hasn't reached since his ROY season in 2016-17.