Getty Payton Pritchard and Grant Williams of the Boston Celtics
On June 3, Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard posted a photo of himself hanging out with friends, including teammate Blake Griffin. Pritchard wrote the caption, “My boys 4 life.”
Grant Williams commented on Pritchard’s photo with a crying emoji and a flame emoji, fueling speculation that Pritchard may be on his way out from Boston. Pritchard’s role was heavily reduced this season after the Celtics acquired Malcolm Brogdon, placing fourth on the Celtics’ guard depth chart, as Pritchard was behind Brogdon, Marcus Smart, and Derrick White.
It’s very possible Pritchard could be traded this summer. He will make $4 million for next season, which is an affordable contract for any interested suitors. However, the Celtics are in complete control with him on his rookie contract. If they don’t trade him, it’s more than likely Pritchard will enter the next offseason as a restricted free agent.
Payton Pritchard Hopes to Be Traded
While talking about how the new Collective Bargaining Agreement could impact the Celtics, The Athletic’s Jay King reported that Payton Pritchard has told the Celtics that he wants to be on a new team this offseason.
“With the new onerous CBA rules looming after next season, the front office will likely have to decide in the next 12 months whether it can afford its expensive veteran depth. Payton Pritchard has made it clear he hopes to be traded this summer, according to multiple team sources, so will the Celtics move him if they trade one of their core guards?”
While it’s very possible the Celtics may get rid of Pritchard, the new CBA could also get them to trade their more expensive guards, like Smart, Brogdon, and/or White, to adjust to the new salary cap. However, given that those three were more important to the Celtics’ rotation than Pritchard was this past season, Pritchard being expendable may very well lead to his wishes being granted.
Brad Stevens Praised Payton Pritchard
In his first interview with reporters since the Celtics were eliminated by the Miami Heat, President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens sympathized with Pritchard’s feelings.
“I really feel for a guy like him. He’s a really good player,” Stevens said, per Brian Robb of MassLive. Stevens added that he does not know how things will shake out with Pritchard.
Brad Stevens on Payton Pritchard’s situation with Celtics: “I really feel for a guy like him. He’s a really good player.” Says he doesn’t know how the situation with him will shake out.
Stevens singled out Pritchard’s work ethic and how committed he is as a player.
“There are guys who work hard at it, and there are guys who are obsessed with it. He’s one of the ones who’s obsessed with it,” he said, per Marc D’Amico of Celtics.com.
Brad Stevens says of Payton Pritchard’s work ethic, “There are guys who work hard at it, and there are guys who are obsessed with it. He’s one of the ones who’s obsessed with hit.”
Pritchard has proven himself to be a valuable rotation player for the Celtics in the past. Some of his performances in the Celtics’ previous postseason run helped the team out immensely as they made their way to their first NBA Finals appearance since 2010.
Pritchard was phased out of the rotation because the three guards ahead of him do more for the Celtics than he does. Pritchard was also not in the Celtics’ rotation at the beginning of the 2021-22 season because of Dennis Schroder, but was thrust into a bigger role when Schroder was traded to the Houston Rockets.
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Celtics Guard’s Instagram Photo Leads to Speculation, Grant Williams Reacts