Payton Pritchard looked like a prime trade candidate for the Celtics this summer, and for good reason. Instead, Pritchard is in line for a larger role with the Celtics this season and he’s set to be in Boston beyond this season. Pritchard and the C’s have agreed to a four-year, $30 million extension to avoid restricted free agency next summer.
The deal should benefit and be advantageous for both sides going forward. Pritchard gets a nice payday with a fully-guaranteed deal over the next four seasons. The fourth-year guard has talked about wanting that long-term commitment, which he now gets.
The Celtics get a rotation-level NBA player who’s hit 40% of his 3-pointers in his career. Considering they traded for Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis this summer, their cap sheet going forward is going to get tight. But being able to get a guard for relatively cheap production is a big plus for a luxury tax team like the C’s.
The Celtics also get another advantage from the extension: Trade flexibility. At roughly an annual $7.5 million salary, Pritchard can be a nice trade piece. The C’s guard reportedly drew interest from around the league on the trade market. So not only can he be a nice throw-in for salary-matching purposes, but he’s a trade asset that can sweeten any deal.
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Pritchard was vocal at the trade deadline last season about wanting a larger role, which is why he requested to be moved. The Celtics elected to keep their 2020 first-round pick, though that meant Pritchard never got consistent rotation minutes. Pritchard played in a career-low 48 games for 13.4 minutes per game last season.
But Pritchard’s situation is completely different this offseason with Marcus Smart and Malcolm Brogdon both on different teams. He’s set in line for a much larger role this year. By all accounts, he has impressed in training camp thus far, including Sam Hauser saying he’s “out for blood.” Pritchard — even when he didn’t get playing time — has been praised by his teammates for his work ethic behind the scenes.
All that work should pay off this season with a rotation spot up for him to grab. Pritchard was a pleasant surprise his rookie season for the Celtics during the pandemic-affected 2020-21 season as he also hit a game-winner against the Heat. The shooting has translated to the NBA, though his size limits his defensive abilities.
Of course, there was another reason why Pritchard wanted to get moved from the Celtics. There was the free agency part of the equation, but age was also a factor. He was selected in the first round in 2020 but after four years at Oregon. Pritchard is already 25, so wanting more minutes and opportunity felt natural at this point in his career.
Now, Pritchard gets that long-term contract along with plenty of cash. The Celtics get a cheap sharpshooter off the bench who has proven he’s an NBA rotation player. The extension kicks in next season as Pritchard is currently at a $4 million salary in the final year of his rookie deal.
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