Malcolm Brogdon wants to win at a high level

On Monday morning, Malcolm Brogdon went on Adrian Wojnarowski’s Woj Pod to discuss getting traded to Boston.

Usually when players, coaches, or executives join Woj on his podcast, they want to get certain information out to the public. In this short 25-minute interview, Brogdon discussed leaving Indiana, his new role in Boston, where he initially thought he’d be traded, and his role as an NBAPA Vice President.

He began by saying, “I’ve heard a lot of people say that Boston was a perfect fit,” but noted they weren’t one of the initial teams that reached out. He first heard about the deal the previous day, when he had a brief conversation with Brad Stevens, and was asked if he’d be willing to embrace a sixth man role.

Brogdon noted that he wanted to get back to winning on a high level. The 29-year-old believes he has three more years left of his prime, and emphasized that he fits Boston’s timeline, and his skill set fits within their system. He mentioned how he’s willing to sacrifice aspects of his game to win a championship with the Celtics. When discussing how Boston had the top defense last season, he declared that with his presence, “the gap only widens.”

The combo guard thought he was going to Washington, as the Pacers and Wizards discussed a trade that involved the 10^th pick. Brogdon, noting how he played at University of Virginia and how he has family roots in the DC area, said that potential move “would have been a little too perfect.” Pairing him with Bradley Beal makes basketball sense, but the Wizards decided to take Wisconsin’s Johnny Davis with the 10^th pick. The Celtics weren’t on his radar early in the process, but they became the quick frontrunner once it became a possibility.

Brogdon was asked about what makes a good NBA coach, and he gave the simple answer: “be honest.” He specifically singled out Nate McMillan and Rick Carlisle when talking about his best coaches, which surprised me, considering he played for Mike Budenholzer (two-time coach-of-the-year) and Jason Kidd (who first believed in him). He mentioned how he wants coaches to treat them like grown men. “We can take it,” he said.

In the middle of the interview, he discussed his role as an NBA Player’s Association Vice President, noting how Grant Williams and Jaylen Brown are also vice presidents. He was asked about player empowerment, trade requests, and the increased hiring of Black coaches. Brogdon, who was once nicknamed “The President” on the Bucks because of his professional demeanor, gave a polished and informative interview. He expects that his introductory press conference in Boston will happen in the next few days.