[Woj] Boston extends Payton Pritchard 4 years, $30 million

[celtxman]

Payton Pritchard on the Olympics team. Celtics fans always deliver the laughs. Pure comedy.

I’m guessing you’re ignorant to the fact that he’s been involved with Fiba/the national team his whole life. Including winning medals with the under 18 and under 19(which he was named all tourney). I’m not saying it’s likely but dismissing him when he was just a member of the select squad and numerous role players have been included in previous years seems silly.

Yes. I didn't say it was likely , but certainly possible. He already comes into games for a championship team with a loaded roster, and turns the game around. It's tough to talk about with people who don't watch, especially this season. Olympics are different JJ Redick was given a tryout in 2008.

[doogie_hauser]

4 games in a row that PP has scored over 20 points off the bench, 25 tonight which was better than any Heat starter or player.

Name me a more worthy 6th Man of the Year candidate right now ??

[hugepatsfan]

Pritchard is fortunate to be playing on a very deep team. On a lesser team he'd be a defensive liability. But with that said, the C's are very deep and he's a great fit - also especially because he's got the best handles on the team. Got to respect his hustle and hard work.

The only reason people call him a defensive liability is because of his size. He isn’t a bad man defender though who has issues switching off or staying with his man. He plays on a second unit alongside Hauser and Quetta, feels like the narrative of being a poor defender is a bit overblown.

I still think he has to prove himself on defense in the playoffs for certain matchups. Historically, he's been played off the court by teams that have big wings that they can ISO him to death with. Last year BOS didn't see one of those type of guys in any of the Eastern playoff series (Butler out for MIA, CLE was/is pretty wing deficient in terms of shot creation, IND doesn't have that kind of player on the wing). Then against DAL, they ran into that type of player with Luka and Pritchard's minutes dropped off a lot (outside of game 4 which was that huge 38 point blowout loss that was mostly garbage time). He struggled in that matchup.

Some of it is that BOS simply has the luxury of going to bigger, better players in the backcourt who aren't targetable defenders like that. Pritchard gives good effort and is probably a plus defender even against guards. But small guards and slow-footed big man are the two archetypes we see pretty frequently where good regular season defense doesn't translate to the playoffs. I'm not sure that Pritchard is actually THAT overmatched that he can't play against bigger wings in the playoffs, but BOS probably doesn't need to find out if he is because come playoff time they'll extend the minutes of Holiday and White and extended minutes for Brown/Tatum/Horford/Porzingis likely has the trickle-down effect of more Brown at SG minutes which further cuts into Pritchard's time as well.

Celtics fans would say for years that Pritchard's best-case scenario could be FVV. I used to think that was overly ambitious, but with what he's done this year I can see it offensively. I just need to him play good enough defense against wings in the playoffs before I'd start thinking he can be a high end starter on a team with real deep playoff run aspirations. Still though, not every team is built to have real deep playoff run aspirations and even some that do have to tolerate some weaknesses. Not being a perfect player doesn't mean he can't still find a bigger role elsewhere and thrive in it if BOS ever moved him for whatever reason.

[shi-woo]

I love how McCain does what Pritchard is doing, and people are calling his the next Steph, but Pritchard who's lighting the league up is getting questioned in this thread by dudes wondering if he can guard swing players Guys, what PG is adequately guarding wings in todays NBA? The value of a player now is based purely on how they contribute to offense first, and PP is doing a fantastic job.

Baring injuries, he essentially has the 6MotY locked up, and we should be celebrating that. I was doing backflips when the Celtic's drafted Pritchard, loved him at Oregon, and loved him in the tourney. I expected him to be a solid 10-3-4 pg off the bench that settled the offense and ran plays the coach wanted, similar to dudes in the past like Chalmers, Joseph, and Alston. What he's doing now is something I never expected.

It's crazy, because a part of me thinks that after making those 2 huge half court shots, got all that love, and the entire world knowing him now as the guy that just lets it rip, he has a confidence that is on cloud 9. Crazy how cementing yourself in history can do that to a guy.

I think Pritchard is easily the best backup point in the league right now, and could honestly start for a lot of teams. Real question, what seperates him from guys like Poole, Cam, and DLo? I would argue he's better than those guys given he's a better rebounder, passer, defender, and can actually run a functional NBA offense.

Pritchard is good, and think he's one of the best of the batch of 6'2 scoring guards we have right now.

So happy we signed him up, and he will be a legend in Boston forever because of it. Fans love him here

[TheSheriff]

I think Pritchard is easily the best backup point in the league right now, and could honestly start for a lot of teams.

Yes. He’d easily start for many teams. If he was given the opportunities that a guy like Terry Rozier had in say Charlotte, he’d score 25 a game. I’m not saying g Charlotte would win a lot with him doing that, but he could do it.

[ryan in Maine]

Mazzulla runs a drill in practice that's just the rest of the team trying to stop Pritchard from hitting a deep tre.

[Tetlak]

I could see White making an All-Star team, but it is a huge stretch to make an argument that Pritchard will be an All-Star level talent. He would start for several teams in the NBA though and it looks like he sacrificed money and playing time to stay with a contender. That is admirable.

I'm sorry but Pritchard didn't sacrifice anything and wouldn't start for an NBA team at the time of the deal. His deal was completely fair for his archetype and caliber.

The Magic are a good team that he could start for. I hate the Celtics but his a good player. One poster says All-Star and another says bench player. Gotta love Realgm.

My brother, the Magic have a franchise PG they just gave 30 mil to who is SIGNIFICANTLY better

[DKB333]

I'm sorry but Pritchard didn't sacrifice anything and wouldn't start for an NBA team at the time of the deal. His deal was completely fair for his archetype and caliber.

The Magic are a good team that he could start for. I hate the Celtics but his a good player. One poster says All-Star and another says bench player. Gotta love Realgm.

My brother, the Magic have a franchise PG they just gave 30 mil to who is SIGNIFICANTLY better

Suggs is a combo guard. Believe me I do not like saying nice things about the Celtics being a Raptors fan, but Pritchard is a problem out there.

[HomoSapien]

Pritchard always seems to stand out whenever I watch Boston play. Even then, I was surprised to see how well he's doing this season. 16 off the bench is pretty remarkable. Dude is having a hell of a season.

[DKB333]

The Magic are a good team that he could start for. I hate the Celtics but his a good player. One poster says All-Star and another says bench player. Gotta love Realgm.

My brother, the Magic have a franchise PG they just gave 30 mil to who is SIGNIFICANTLY better

Suggs is a combo guard. Believe me I do not like saying nice things about the Celtics being a Raptors fan, but Pritchard is a problem out there. He is basically an efficient version of VanVleet getting paid peanuts. Stevens with the Jedi Mind Tricks.

[The_Ghost_of_JB]

I never ever though PP would turn out to be as good as he is. He is one of the best bench players in the NBA

[ITYSL]

Out of the 45 bench guards who have defended at least 100 FGA, Pritchards DFG% of 46.4% is 27th best, so right in the middle of the pack. Bench guards with worse DFG% include Cameron Payne, Jared McCain, Ty Jerome and Buddy Hield. Link

Side note: Caruso's DFG% of 33.1% is insane.

[DCasey91]

Always held the Payton Pritchard stock and its been paying dividends. Damn if only we had him

F the Celtics but love that dude keep balling out!

[jbsays]

I don't think him being on the Olympic roster is really out of question if he keeps this up for a couple seasons. They always pick a couple "glue" guys and if he doesn't get minutes he'll be cool with it. Tatum is a sure thing and White might have one more run at his age. Seems like Brown should be on it before him too though. I don't see them picking so many guys from one team even though Celtics had three last time.

[7seventynine9]

4 games in a row that PP has scored over 20 points off the bench, 25 tonight which was better than any Heat starter or player.

Name me a more worthy 6th Man of the Year candidate right now ??

No one, but if Hunter can stay healthy (big if) and stays on the bench, he may give PP a run. That's assuming Atlanta continues to play well.

[celtxman]

I don't think him being on the Olympic roster is really out of question if he keeps this up for a couple seasons. They always pick a couple "glue" guys and if he doesn't get minutes he'll be cool with it. Tatum is a sure thing and White might have one more run at his age. Seems like Brown should be on it before him too though. I don't see them picking so many guys from one team even though Celtics had three last time.

I commented earlier on this. Derrick White was picked over Jaylen Brown for the Olympics. It doesn't mean White (or Holiday) are better than Brown. Pritchard, playing as he is now would easily fit in and contribute on an Olympic team. But it's understandable to pick a star from another team.

[BlazersBroncos]

I am straight up shocked at how well he is doing this year and happy as hell for him. I thought he was a 7ppg meh backup. The kid is running away w/ 6MOTY (Assuming McCain starts from here on out).

[TorontoBarneys]

Celtics have a sick squad and are balling out of control this year. Definitely favorites to come out of the east for me.

[165bows]

Junk contract.

[xchange55]

Pritchard is fortunate to be playing on a very deep team. On a lesser team he'd be a defensive liability. But with that said, the C's are very deep and he's a great fit - also especially because he's got the best handles on the team. Got to respect his hustle and hard work.

The only reason people call him a defensive liability is because of his size. He isn’t a bad man defender though who has issues switching off or staying with his man. He plays on a second unit alongside Hauser and Quetta, feels like the narrative of being a poor defender is a bit overblown.

He can somewhat get away with being undersized in the 3 point era. I mean you have guys like KAT and Chet, and even Wemby at times playing the perimter. In old school basketball, just back him down and shoot 80%+ from the paint. I think that can still happen today with the right team/scorer/matchup.