Celtics adding standout guard in major trade with Pacers

Dec 25, 2021; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka looks on during the second quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Celtics are looking to take the next step and win an NBA title, and are adding a key piece in that quest.

The Indiana Pacers have traded guard Malcolm Brogdon to the Celtics, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. The Pacers get back a 2023 first-round pick and a handful of players, most notably young guard Aaron Nesmith.

The Celtics are obviously not satisfied with an NBA Finals appearance and are eager to go even further. Brogdon should help do that. In three seasons with Indiana, he averaged 18.9 points and 6.3 assists per game, and is more of a playmaker than Marcus Smart is. The Celtics even managed to make the trade without giving up any major pieces of their rotation. The only real concern for the 29-year-old is recent injury issues, as he was limited to only 36 games last season.

Brogdon had been consistently linked to possible trades since the start of the offseason, so the deal is not a surprise for the Pacers. The addition of Tyrese Haliburton late last season effectively made him expendable with three years left on his current deal.