The Houston Rockets have entered the competition for Malcolm Brogdon, adding to the interest from the New York Knicks and the Los Angeles Lakers, as reported by Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer. Fischer noted on January 26 that league insiders believe Houston has a genuine interest in Brogdon, citing the presence of former Boston staffers in the Rockets organization who previously worked with Brogdon during his time with the Celtics.
Brogdon, a guard with a $45 million contract, is committed until the next season with $22.5 million guaranteed. After winning the 6th Man of the Year last season, Brogdon was part of the Damian Lillard-Jrue Holiday blockbuster trade that brought him to Portland during the offseason. Despite playing for a rebuilding team, the 32-year-old veteran guard has improved his numbers this season, averaging 15.5 points and 5.3 assists in 33 games, including 19 starts for the Trail Blazers. Notably, he has an impressive 42% success rate on 5.1 three-point attempts.
Portland acquired Brogdon with the intention of flipping him for additional draft assets as they continue their rebuilding efforts around young talents like Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons, and Shaedon Sharpe. Rival executives, as reported by HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto on January 18, suggest that a fair asking price for Brogdon in a trade would be a first-round pick along with salary filler.
While the Lakers possess their 2029 first-round pick, they are reportedly reserving it for a potential Dejounte Murray trade. On the other hand, both the Rockets and the Knicks have substantial draft capital, with the Rockets acquiring assets from the James Harden trade and having their own picks.
For the Knicks, Brogdon is considered a potential trade option to fill the void left by Immanuel Quickley in their second unit. Reports indicate that the Knicks are also exploring options like Jordan Clarkson from Utah and Bruce Brown from Toronto.
In other Knicks news, star player Jalen Brunson displayed graciousness after narrowly missing out on an NBA All-Star starting guard spot in the East to Damian Lillard of the Milwaukee Bucks. Despite the close competition, Brunson congratulated Lillard, emphasizing the importance of team success over individual accolades. Meanwhile, NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley expressed sympathy for Brunson, praising his impact on the Knicks and considering his arrival in New York as “the greatest free agent signing.” Barkley expressed disappointment that Brunson narrowly missed the All-Star starting position, highlighting his role in making the Knicks relevant once again. Brunson is expected to be among the top reserves, a decision set to be announced on February 1 by the coaches.
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