Ahead of the 2025-26 season, with their best shot at making the NBA Finals in years starting at them, the New York Knicks have already lost what could have been a critical bench cog.
Per Shams Charania of ESPN, 2023 Sixth Man of the Year Malcolm Brogdon has opted to announce his retirement rather than continue one.
"Today, I officially transition out of my basketball career. I have proudly given my mind, body and spirit to the game over the last few decades," Brogdon said in a statement shared by Charania. "With the many sacrifices it took to get here, I have received many rewards. I am deeply grateful to have arrived to this point on my own terms and now to be able to reap the benefits of my career with my family and friends. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to all who have had a place in my journey."
An injury-plagued career comes to a close
The 32-year-old has been waylaid by injuries throughout his career, and has barely been able to play for the Portland Trail Blazers and Washington Wizards across the past two seasons. Playing for New York would have represented the 6-foot-4 Virginia product's best opportunity to compete for a championship since at least his lone Boston Celtics season in 2022-23.
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Brogdon had been inked to an Exhibit 9 training camp contract, and was competing with Landry Shamet and Garrison Mathews for one spot on the hard-capped team's standard roster, although there had been chatter that the Knicks have been considering a trade of a young piece to open up a second spot for a vet. Per Charania, Brogdon was on track to make New York's opening night roster.
Last year, Brogdon appeared sparingly for the lowly Wizards, averaging 12.7 points on .433/.286/.880 shooting splits, 4.1 dimes and 3.8 boards a night in just 24 available contests.
He has been dogged by health issues for much of his career, and has appeared in 39 or fewer games three times in the last four years.
When he was on the court, though, he was generally pretty effective. That Wizards production represents his worst output since his 2016-17 rookie season, when he claimed Rookie of the Year honors as a sixth man on the Milwaukee Bucks.
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