NBA Executive Offers Celtics Advice Regarding Malcolm Brogdon

The Boston Celtics are working on a tight deadline to resolve their potentially strained relationship with guard Malcolm Brogdon.

Without any word from Brogdon yet, and Opening Night just weeks away, the Celtics don't have much time. Therefore, speculation has begun taking over. The offseason trade rumors that linked Brogdon to the eventual three-team blockbuster involving now-teammate Kristaps Porzingis reportedly played a factor in the rumored animosity.

So where do the C's go now? Well, one NBA executive suggests the organization starts with honest transparency.

"The line between inquiry and challenge is a very thin line," an anonymous league executive told Steve Bullpet of Heavy.com. "For me, the more questions that were asked, the better. I wanted my players to feel empowered, and it also meant that guys were actually trying to understand. But not every coach looks at it that way."

Tiptoeing around with a player like Brogdon, who doesn't succumb to front office rigmarole, isn't wise, especially from Boston's perspective. Much like last offseason when Brown was linked to the Brooklyn Nets and Kevin Durant, the Celtics could ask for a self-inflicted locker room wound that could snowball over time.

Smart's gone and the reserve unit, for the most part, is a toss-up, meaning Brogdon's value to the Celtics has increased substantially. That's no secret.

"He's a smart person. He's not stupid," the executive continued. "He doesn't think he's a superstar, and you saw he was willing to accept a role playing behind Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown without any problem. That's because he's never considered himself a star."

The Celtics will address a plethora of preseason questions when they meet face-to-face with reporters for Media Day on Monday.