5 players the Memphis Grizzlies should’ve picked over Wade Baldwin
No. 2: Malcolm Brogdon
Before I start his whole analysis and reasoning thing, let’s point this interesting fact out. The Memphis Grizzlies passed on Rookie of the Year Malcolm Brogdon THREE different times.
No one knew Malcolm Brogdon was going to win the Rookie of the Year award. For one, some potential candidates (Ingram, Jamal Murray, Hield) failed to do anything nearly as impressive as Brogdon. Secondly, Ben Simmons, the number one pick, was hurt all season. Finally, the people’s frontrunner Joel Embiid appeared in only 31 games which swayed some voters away.
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Don’t let that deflate Brogdon’s impact as a rookie.
He played a huge role for the Milwaukee Bucks last season. With Middleton out, the Bucks needed someone to step up at shooting guard, and Brogdon rose to the occasion. When Middleton returned, Brogdon solidified a spot in the starting lineup, taking the task of defending the opposing team’s point guard.
At the moment, he was the definite pick for just about any team in this league in a re-draft. He can make plays on offense with his 3-point shooting (40.4 percent), playmaking (4.2 assists) and shot-creating. He can defend just about anyone from positions 1-3. More importantly, he just makes winning basketball plays.
On the Memphis Grizzlies, he would be the unquestioned shooting guard and probably the team’s third-best player. It might have prevented some signings (Ben McLemore) and trades (Dillon Brooks), but Brogdon is a pure basketball player you want on your team.
Some see him as too high at 17, but he falls under the Conference Player of the Year gone Second-round Steal category where Draymond Green, Jae Crowder and Chandler Parsons reside.