The Celtics are asking more of Payton Pritchard this season. With Marcus Smart sent off to Memphis and Malcolm Brogdon in Portland (for now) — and even with the addition of Jrue Holiday — the Celtics will ask Pritchard to play a critical sixth man role as the team’s backup point guard.
If he plays up to the offseason hype on him out of Boston, this new contract extension of four years, $30 million is going to be a steal. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN broke the news of the deal.
The deal is fully guaranteed for all four years.
Pritchard was squeezed out of the rotation last season, but for his three-year career he has averaged 6.6 points and 1.7 assists a game while shooting 40% from 3 (on two attempts a night). The guard out of Oregon has been a solid bench contributor that Boston is about to lean into.
Pritchard — who requested a trade this offseason wanting more playing time, which he ended up getting staying in green — could have played out this season and then been a restricted free agent, hoping to earn more money. The problem is, as a restricted free agent reserve guard, it’s doubtful any team would have made an offer the Celtics would not have matched, so teams would not have bid. The same dynamic kept the Lakers’ Austin Reaves’ salary depressed this summer. Instead, Pritchard took the money in front of him.
If he plays up to his new role as a key reserve on a contending team, this will be a steal of a contract for the Celtics.