Brian Robb Explains Why the Celtics Extended Payton Pritchard’s Contract for $30 Million
Payton Pritchard will be a Boston Celtics player for the foreseeable future. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the fourth-year guard and the Celtics agreed to a four-year deal extension for $30 million on October 7.
Following Wojnarowski’s revelation on Pritchard’s agreement, Brian Robb of MassLive explained why the Celtics chose to extend him now rather than wait until restricted free agency.
“Multiple sources tell MassLive that he has been a standout in team workouts in recent weeks, which made the team eager to lock him up to a long-term deal,” Robb wrote in a piece for the newspaper on October 8.
Following the Celtics’ recent additions, Pritchard is expected to play a larger role on the squad. Pritchard will be the team’s third guard, with just Jrue Holiday and Derrick White ahead of him on the depth chart. Pritchard has proven that he can play and was superior to the job that the Celtics assigned to him during the 2022-23 season. He’ll have the opportunity to show that they were correct in giving him a larger role and an extension on top of that.
Sam Hauser Declares Payton Pritchard Will Be ‘Out for Blood’
During a press conference on October 7, Sam Hauser singled out Payton Pritchard for his efforts during training camp thus far.
“I think Payton had a fantastic camp.” He’s been really aggressive. “He worked really hard this summer, and I think he’s out for blood this year, so I’m really excited to see what he has to offer this year,” Hauser remarked, according to CLNS Media’s X account.
Hauser isn’t the only one who has noticed Pritchard’s progress. When asked who stood out to him during the Celtics’ scrimmages, Svi Mykahiliuk said something similar.
“As of now, for me, I feel like Payton was really, really good in all of the games, but I would say everybody’s just coming in, working hard, showing their work ethic, and just being here really early to show how important it is to everybody,” Mykhailiuk said on October 3, according to CLNS Media Boston Sports Network.
When you consider what his Celtics teammates have said about him and the fact that the organization extended him before the season began, there is a lot of smoke surrounding Pritchard’s better play. Even though it will only be a preseason game, Pritchard will get the opportunity to show fans what he’s made of when the Celtics face the Philadelphia 76ers on October 8.
An Ex-Celtic Shares His Thoughts on Payton Pritchard
Several former Celtics took to their X accounts to react on Pritchard’s new contract. Former Celtics champion Kendrick Perkins praised Pritchard on his new contract, calling it “well-deserved!!!!”
Evan Turner, a former Celtics player and assistant coach, praised the team, saying that by extending Pritchard, they “got him for cheap.”
Turner was an assistant coach with the Celtics during Pritchard’s rookie season, so he saw firsthand how brilliant Pritchard was when he first arrived.
Some Celtics veterans have clearly been watching Pritchard, which is surprising given that he didn’t play much in his third NBA season. Even if the sample size is small, it is apparent that Pritchard has made an impression.
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