The Celtics locked up Payton Pritchard long-term. But his contract also makes him a perfect trade chip.
Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard has agreed on a four-year, $30 million contract extension, agents Austin Brown, Max Saidman and Mitch Nathan of @CAA_Basketball tell ESPN. Deal is fully guaranteed. pic.twitter.com/sD9LgpmHZx
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 8, 2023
Back in February, Pritchard was so frustrated by his lack of playing time in Boston, he said he'd welcome a trade somewhere else. Now he's signed a contract extension that keeps him in Celtics green through 2028. Probably.
Pritchard got $30M in his new deal — life-changing money for him, but modest by NBA standards. Boston will be paying Jaylen Brown over $50M next season (and over $300M over five years), while Jayson Tatum will likely sign an even bigger extension next summer. But the value of Pritchard's deal for Boston is that it's highly tradeable.
If the Celtics want to reshape their roster, it's hard to do that with large contracts. Besides their homegrown stars, Kristaps Porzingis makes roughly $30M per year and Jrue Holiday makes $36.9M this year.
Pritchard not only provides Boston with an affordable bench option who is a career 40% shooter from three-point range, but a mid-sized contract that could be very useful to match salaries in a trade.
Even this year, the new deal doesn't complicate his usefulness as a trade chip very much. While Pritchard is making $4M this year, the extension means he'd be treated as a $6.8M player — something that might help in acquiring a more expensive player.
Payton Pritchard looks like he’s here to stay in Boston, but this extension wouldn’t complicate his inclusion in a trade this season since it minimally increases his incoming salary in one.
— Yossi Gozlan (@YossiGozlan) October 8, 2023
A team acquiring him would have to treat him as if he has a $6.8M salary instead of $4M. https://t.co/hahgidQGaG
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla, who didn't play Pritchard much last season, told reporters he's "happy" to have Pritchard back.
Joe Mazzulla on Payton Pritchard’s extension: “Most guys in his position, the league breaks them…He’s not one of those guys. So he continues to be a tough SOB for us and I’m happy I continue to coach him this year.”
— Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) October 8, 2023
With Marcus Smart and Malcolm Brogdon gone, the Celtics will be able to use Pritchard off the bench. And if it doesn't work out, at least they'll be able to use him in a trade.
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