14 players were signed to rookie scale extension contracts in October 2023 and no one took a cheaper deal than Payton Pritchard. The Celtics guard settled for a four-year pact for $30 million in total despite the fact he had already shown he was capable of playing playoff rotation minutes in the midst of the Celtics run to the 2022 NBA Finals.
Brad Stevens and the Celtics front office wisely cleared the path for playing time for Pritchard ahead of the 2023-24 season by trading away Malcolm Brogdon and Marcus Smart in separate deals. That opportunity led to Pritchard jumping at an extension to stay put at a very modest number. Less than two years later, the Celtics are already reaping the benefits of that pact on nearly a nightly basis.
There was no better example of that than Pritchard’s 23 points off the bench in Boston’s 139-114 blowout win over the Nets on Wednesday night. The visitors stumbled out to a 19-8 deficit with two starters heading to the bench early for foul trouble (Derrick White, Neemias Queta). For most teams, that would be a recipe for disaster. Instead, Pritchard came in and played the final 21 minutes of the first half, helping Boston turn a 11-point deficit into a five-point halftime lead.
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Joe Mazzulla spoke to Pritchard’s impact to reporters in Brooklyn after the win.
“Payton’s a two-way player,” Mazzulla said. “His ball pressure, he got some deflections, got some steals, and he has an ability, he can handle in pick-and-roll, he can play off the ball, and guys are doing a great job finding him. So, he’s playing at a high level for us right now. Fun to watch.”
Through 13 games, Pritchard ranks 4th on the team in scoring with 16.2 points per game and is hitting 42.7 percent of his 3-point shots while averaging 9.2 attempts per game. The production has skyrocketed him to a favorite for 6th Man of the Year and he may very well run away with the reward if he continues this type of production. His impact has also earned him high praise from his star teammates.
“Payton’s been excellent,” Jaylen Brown told reporters in Brooklyn. “He’s been great, and that’s what we need. He’s been a superstar in his role. It’s almost like now it’s kind of expected because he’s done it so much and he’s done it so well. But obviously, it’s a long season. We’ve got to keep encouraging and finding him. And at times even playing through him; let Payton run the show. I don’t mind, especially when guys have a role in it. Just have the mindset that we’re a team, and whatever it takes to get it done.”
The fact that the Celtics are already getting this from a 6-foot-1 guard for just $6.6 million this season is bonkers compared to the money other players from his rookie class signed for. While there were some understandable max deals handed out (LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Halliburton), the value Pritchard crushes the remainder of the pack. Zeke Nnaji ($8 million per year) barely is playing for Denver. Josh Green ($13.6 million/year) isn’t making much of an impact after being traded to the Hornets. The same goes for Deni Avdija ($13.7 million/year) with the Blazers. Cole Anthony ($11 million/year) is making 50 percent more than Pritchard and is on the fringe of falling out of the Magic rotation.
Meanwhile, Pritchard is an integral part of a 10-3 team and looks fully capable of taking on a bigger role if/when injuries or a cost crunch deem it necessary for future seasons. For now, he’s looking like one of the best value contracts in the league, adding to a long list of accolades for Stevens and this Celtics front office.
“Payton is super important,” Tatum told reporters. “I think he’s having the best start of his career. I think being so aggressive off the bench, a lot of times he changes the course of the game. If we have a lead, he extends it. …That’s just so important and shows how valuable everybody on our team is that we need everybody.”
