For the second straight season, Payton Pritchard has discovered himself falling down the pecking order within the Boston Celtics rotation as a result of addition of a veteran guard. Sadly, in contrast to Dennis Schroder, Malcolm Brogdon isn’t going anyplace, and as such, Pritchard’s tenure with the workforce might finally be reduce brief.
Nonetheless, it might seem that Pritchard’s restricted position this season has completed little to discourage groups across the league from enquiring about his availability through commerce; in truth, it’s inspired them, with MassLive’s Brian Robb reporting that the Golden State Warriors have carried out their very own due diligence.
“Payton Pritchard’s lack of constant taking part in time within the Celtics rotation has unsurprisingly led to a variety of playoff groups inquiring concerning the availability of the reserve guard together with the defending champion Golden State Warriors, league sources inform MassLive,” Robb wrote.
Pritchard, 24, is at present within the third 12 months of his rookie-scale deal and is underneath contract for the 2023-24 season earlier than he turns into a restricted free agent. That tea management makes Pritchard an interesting commodity, however it might seem that Boston is reluctant to half methods with a playoff-tested guard who has confirmed himself to be a helpful insurance coverage coverage ought to accidents crop up all through the season or throughout the post-season. Throughout Boston’s run to the NBA Finals, Pritchard participated in all 24 video games, averaging 4.8 factors, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.6 assists whereas capturing the ball at a 42.2/33.3/66.7 clip.
Moreover, Pritchard has continued to show himself when the Celtics have been short-handed this season and has lately been offering admirable protection for the injured Jaylen Brown, who’s at present coping with an abductor strain.
Can we simply give Pritchard his flowers? Persistently taking part in larger than he’s…whether or not it is an ORB or a rearview block. Dude hustles his butt off. pic.twitter.com/7RSLr4rh9F
— Adam Taylor (@AdamTaylorNBA) January 17, 2023
From the Warriors’ standpoint, Pritchard could be a great backup guard — able to taking part in off-ball as a two-guard, capturing the deep three, and is at his finest pushing the tempo and transferring relentlessly. But, logically talking, the Celtics will probably be reluctant to strengthen a workforce they might face within the Finals for the second straight 12 months, particularly when their very own guard rotation has some real questions on its longevity.
It’s usually simple to neglect that Marcus Sensible remains to be taking part in with a shard of glass in his hand, which might generally result in a lack of feeling, and will crop up at any second.
“Ever for the reason that image body incident…Nonetheless have some glass in there. Stated it might in all probability trigger extra issues to take the glass out, so they simply left it in, so I nonetheless have glass in my hand. Generally I can’t really feel my hand, but it surely comes again,” Sensible stated.
With so many damage considerations among the many guard rotation and the truth that Boston is a real championship contender this season, Pritchard might stay with the Celtics in the course of his contract, or, no less than till the summer time when Brad Stevens has extra flexibility to make strikes that profit the workforce.
Regardless, Pritchard is at present in place to play an element in a possible banner season, the primary one since 2008, and if you’re this near the mountaintop, you do every part inside your energy to get there, even when it means holding a participant in a lessened position. In accordance with Jayson Tatum, everybody on the roster is on the identical web page, so, one would assume that additionally contains Pritchard.
“Everyone has to sacrifice to be on an amazing workforce. Now we have particular person guys that come off the bench that would begin on the vast majority of different groups. We acquired guys that begin that would common extra on one other workforce. However anyone will let you know how a lot enjoyable and rewarding it was final 12 months within the playoffs to maintain advancing, preserve successful, to make it to The Finals. And, no particular person stat or accolade can measure as much as being on a successful workforce that’s having enjoyable. There’s nothing higher than that,” Tatum said.
The February 9 commerce deadline remains to be three weeks away, so, after all, there’s a likelihood we see Pritchard transfer onto a brand new problem, however proper now, it makes extra sense to maintain him precisely the place he’s. He merely supplies an excessive amount of worth for what the Celtics are attempting to attain. Not unhealthy for a participant no one anticipated to pop when Danny Ainge drafted him with the 26th pick within the 2020 NBA Draft.
