Celtics Sign Payton Pritchard To Four-Year, $30 Million Extension
Talk about timing. I just did a post about the Payton Pritchard hype train this offseason. Pritchard is apparently ‘out for blood’ this season and the team was paying attention. The Celtics are now rewarding the former Oregon product with a nice shiny extension.
Adrian Wojnarowski at ESPN was the first to report the news. Pritchard and the Celtics have agreed to terms on a four-year deal worth $30 million. The contract is fully guaranteed.
Pritchard, 25, played a career-low 13.4 minutes last season. That number is obviously expected to increase given the moves this offseason. Marcus Smart and Malcolm Brogdon are out. Jrue Holiday is in. Pritchard now figures to be the third guard in the rotation behind Holiday and Derrick White.
Don’t be surprised if Pritchard turns into a major spark plug off the bench. Pritchard has shot 42.6% on catch-and-shoot 3-pointers since 2020 when he entered the league. That’s one of the best marks in the NBA. If Pritchard can become an off the bench sniper, the Celtics are that much more dangerous next year.
At $8 million per year, it’s a fair price for the team and the player. It’s nice security for Pritchard while this deal could turn into a real bargain if Pritchard realizes his potential and becomes a threat off the bench. With the cap continuing to rise, this is not a bad number at all. A really smart move by Brad Stevens and the rest of the front office in Boston.
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