The Boston Celtics 2021-22 season was quite a whirlwind. After finding themselves with an 18-21 record midway through the season, the C's went on an absurd run from 11th place in the Eastern Conference all the way up to 2nd, which is where they finished in the standings.

They then sent the Brooklyn Nets, Milwaukee Bucks, and Miami Heat packing on their way to the NBA Finals. And while they ultimately came up short against the Golden State Warriors, it was still an extremely encouraging season for the Celtics and their fans.

Despite that, the front office, led by President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens, had some work to do this offseason. Stevens identified playmaking and bench scoring as two of the top needs that he was looking to address this offseason, as those were the two key weaknesses that sunk Boston in the Finals against Golden State.

So far in the 2022 NBA offseason, the Celtics haven't done a lot. Quite frankly, they haven't had to either considering their entire playoff rotation is under contract for the 2022-23 season. But the moves they have made have been solid, and their best move of the offseason so far may be the one that helps the C's achieve their elusive goal of winning a championship next season.

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Boston Celtics best offseason move: trading for Malcolm Brogdon

The Celtics stayed quiet during the 2022 NBA Draft despite rumors in the buildup to it suggesting otherwise. They selected JD Davison with the 53rd overall pick, but otherwise Boston was out of the picture during the draft.

When free agency opened they remained quiet to start. They didn't have much money considering they were already right up against the luxury tax threshold, with the mid-level exception being their best resource when it came to signing someone.

They pounced on Danilo Gallinari once it was announced he was going to be waived by the San Antonio Spurs, and used the mid-level exception to sneak him onto the roster. They also managed to re-sign bench pieces Luke Kornet and Sam Hauser along the way on cheap multi-year deals.

Those moves are solid, but they come nowhere near the trade with the Indiana Pacers that netted Malcolm Brogdon. The versatile guard has been on Boston's radar for quite some time, and they finally got him this offseason. Acquiring Brogdon is without a doubt the Celtics best move of the offseason so far.

Let's star with what it took to get Brogdon. Boston got Brogdon in return for their first round draft pick in 2023, along with Daniel Theis, Aaron Nesmith, Nik Stauskas, Malik Fitts, and Juwan Morgan. Of those five guys, none of them played consistent minutes in the Finals against the Warriors.

To acquire Brogdon for that package was an absolute steal. The most valuable piece of the deal was the draft pick, and considering how good Boston should be next season, it will probably be a late 20's pick that the C's didn't really need.

The deal itself was a win, but it's also a fantastic move because Brogdon is exactly the type of player Boston needed to fill out their rotation. Stevens wanted bench scoring and playmaking, and that's precisely what Malcolm Brogdon brings to the table.

Brogdon has always been a solid scorer throughout his career, and that should continue now that he's playing alonside stars like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. He can score from all three levels of the floor, and his ability to score in isolation situations should help out the offense when it goes through it's patented cold streaks, especially late in games.

The other plus on Brogdon is his passing. Marcus Smart as Boston's point guard worked in the sense that it helped the Celtics make it to the Finals, but it's never been the most natural fit. Brogdon is a more natural playmaker compared to Smart, which should be a big help off the bench. Brogdon eventually had to take on more of the scoring burden for Indiana over time, but he averaged 7.1 assists per game during the 2019-20 season, which could be an average within his reach on a much more talented Celtics squad.

Brogdon clearly fits what Boston is looking for on offense, but he also is exactly the type of player they like to have when it comes to their defensive scheme too. He's a rangy guard who can switch onto pretty much any player on the floor, giving head coach Ime Udoka another option to mix and match throughout the season. The Celtics defense was already good before adding Brogdon, and it's scary to think that they can get better now that he's onboard.

Malcolm Brogdon's fit with the C's, combined with what it cost Boston to get him, makes him an easy choice for the Celtics best move of the 2022 offseason. Stevens and the front office entered the offseason with a clear plan, and in just a few moves, they have managed to make themselves a far better team heading into the 2022-23 season. But it's clear that the Brogdon move is the best of the bunch, and if Boston ends up winning a championship next season, Brogdon figures to be a big reason why.