New Knick Malcolm Brogdon hopes to give Jalen Brunson a break
Knicks guard Jalen Brunson on the bench in the 4th quarter in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Pacers at Madison Square Garden on May 29. Credit: Newsday/J. Conrad Williams Jr.
GREENBURGH — Jalen Brunson looks exhausted.
How many times did Knicks fans post that on social media during the Knicks’ last two playoff runs? How many times did Knicks fans worry that Brunson’s heavy minutes were taking a major toll on his body?
Well, Malcolm Brogdon, the 10-year veteran point guard the Knicks signed to a one-year contract this offseason, thinks he can be a solution to that problem.
“I think anything that can take pressure off of Jalen is a big goal for this organization. That’s what I want to do this year,” Brogdon said Sunday at the Knicks’ practice facility. “I want to take pressure off of him on both sides of the ball.”
The Knicks hope Brogdon, who won Sixth Man of the Year in 2023 with Boston, will give them the kind of backcourt depth and reserve playmaking that was missing from the team last season. Brogdon hopes to re-energize a career that has absorbed some hard times the past two seasons. He has struggled with injuries while playing a limited number of games for rebuilding Portland and Washington teams.
At this point of his career, Brogdon wanted to play on a team that had the potential to go deep into the playoffs. That’s why the 32-year-old decided not to pursue other opportunities and sign a non-guaranteed $3.3 million contract with the Knicks on Sept. 16. Landry Shamet also is on a one-year non-guaranteed contract, and the word is that the Knicks likely will make a trade or do something so they can keep both players.
“I came here with expectation I’m going to make the team,” Brogdon said. “I feel like what I bring to the team and everything I have to offer, I feel like I can help this team get over the hump this coming year. The situation is out of my control, but I feel like I can help this team.”
Brogdon feels so good about what he can do for the Knicks that he said he turned down multiple opportunities with other teams.
“Going into my 10th year, I knew I wanted to be in a good organization that is trying to win a championship,” he said. “I had that in Milwaukee. I had that in Boston. Here there is just a real shot. And being able to be a part of this is a special opportunity. So I just wanted to be all-in here.”
In his first nine years in the league, Brogdon played for five teams and averaged 15.3 points and 4.7 assists. Knicks coach Mike Brown said Sunday that the fact that he has played in multiple systems has helped him fit in quickly with his new team.
“He’s been great. He has a steadiness about him that is fantastic, especially with us throwing a lot of new stuff at the group,” Brown said. “He kind of takes it in stride and tries to figure it out and get everyone organized. He’s been good on both ends of the floor. He shot the ball when he needs to shoot it. Drives when he needs to drive it. He’s been solid defensively. You can just feel his veteran presence, especially a guy who has been in a lot of situations. It’s the calming effect on everyone.”
A calming effect that can contribute in multiple ways.
“I’m a Swiss Army knife in a lot of ways, Brogdon said. “I have a lot of strengths. I’m versatile.”
Barbara Barker is an award-winning columnist and features writer in the sports department at Newsday. She has covered sports in New York for more than 20 years.
