Now that the Bradley Beal domino has finally fallen, it feels like NBA free agency can resume. With Beal heading to the Clippers, that leaves another veteran guard without a home, one that Denver should immediately pursue: Malcolm Brogdon.
Brogdon has been a rumored target for the Clippers dating back to his time in Boston, but they’ve opted to go with Beal, and Chris Paul may be soon to follow. The 32-year-old Brogdon has had a nice career, but he has toiled away on a couple of bad teams the past few seasons. It’s time for him to take a lesser role on a contending team to help win his first ring.
Denver would be the perfect home for Brogdon as they need a steady hand off the bench who can run the offense without taking much off the table. Brogdon has a great basketball IQ. He can get to the basket and hit open threes as well. He’s a fine defender for a guard, and he has proven to be a solid teammate and leader in his career.
Malcolm has struggled with durability throughout his career, but that’s why the fit with the Nuggets is perfect, as Brogdon would get to play a very limited role, resting as much as possible. He could manage his body during the season, availing himself when needed, but taking a backseat and plenty of nights off.
Backup point guard the final piece for Denver
As it stands, a backup point guard is the final piece to the puzzle for Denver. They’ve done a great job this offseason fortifying the wing depth, adding shooting, and even landing a solid backup center for Nikola Jokic. The one thing they haven’t done is find a backup point guard to replace Russell Westbrook.
They need someone to fill the void, and one more ballhandler would bring this entire rotation together. They’re clearly in championship-or-bust mode, and can’t afford to bring in an unreliable or inexperienced player to fill such an important role.
With the market almost completely dried up, Brogdon is an absolute no-brainer. He should be hungry to prove he has something left in the tank and relish the opportunity to contribute to a team that’s contending to win a title.
This is a low-risk signing that could end up making a huge difference in the long run. Unless the Nuggets are planning to play point guard by committee whenever Jamal Murray is out, or they truly believe in Jalen Pickett, this is a move that has to be made.