This offseason, the Boston Celtics made a number of significant personnel adjustments. The two key additions to the roster were guard Jrue Holiday and big man Kristaps Porzingis, but their trade-in acquisition did not come without a price.
Grant Williams joined the Dallas Mavericks in a sign-and-trade, and deal packages included Marcus Smart, Malcolm Brogdon, and Robert Williams III. Payton Pritchard and other roster players will get the chance to play bigger roles as a result.
That is unquestionably the vibe the Celtics sent when it was revealed that they and Pritchard had reached an agreement. According to his representatives Austin Brown, Max Saidman, and Mitch Nathan of CAA Sports, the parties reached an agreement on a four-year, $30 million deal that is completely guaranteed.
Pritchard remarked after Boston’s opening preseason game on Sunday night, “It feels really good.” “Just to be safe, lock it up and join a fantastic organization, a fantastic city. In my opinion, this NBA city and basketball organization are the greatest. It feels great.
Pritchard is the eighth player to get a rookie-scale deal. He was selected in the first round of the 2020 NBA Draft.The Minnesota Timberwolves, Charlotte Hornets, Indiana Pacers, and Memphis Grizzlies have all inked max contracts with Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Tyrese Haliburton, and Desmond Bane.The other players up to this point are Devin Vassell of the San Antonio Spurs and Isaiah Stewart of the Detroit Pistons.
Pritchard’s role with the Celtics decreased last season as he played 48 regular-season games on average for 13.4 minutes, earning three starts. As he was in and out of the rotation during the season, the number of games played was also a career low. Only 10 of their 20 postseason games had him as a player.
This season, that lack of involvement will undoubtedly alter. If the Celtics didn’t want to use him more, they wouldn’t have locked him into a four-year contract at $7.5 million each year.
Even with the signing of Holiday, there are minutes in the backcourt available because Brogdon and Smart are no longer on the roster. With a skill set that will allow him to compete with any of the other guards in the rotation, Pritchard should seize the backup point guard position.
