Patience pays off for Celtics' Payton Pritchard
Payton Pritchard is an NBA champion. The former Oregon standout has been with the Boston Celtics since being drafted with the 26th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. During the 2022-23 season, he found himself glued to the bench. The arrival of Malcolm Brogdon has stifled Pritchard's route to consistent minutes.
During that season, Pritchard made it clear that he wanted to play. During an appearance on the "Point Forward" podcast in Jan. 2023, he noted how he would welcome a move away from Boston if it led to a legitimate role within a team's rotation.
"We’ve had that discussion but — a bigger role," Pritchard said at the time. "I want to be part of a winning culture but I want to also help that, be a really big piece of that. I’m not saying it’s the best player on the team but I don’t know what my future holds unless I can take that next step. I don’t know what it is in five or 10 years but I just want to look back and know that I put my best foot forward."
Despite his frustrations, Pritchard saw out the remainder of the season with the Celtics. Then, everything changed. Marcus Smart was shipped out as part of the Kristaps Porzingis trade. Brogdon also left the team as Brad Stevens moved to acquire Jrue Holiday. Suddenly, Pritchard had an opportunity to command consistent minutes off the bench.
The fourth-year guard played in all 82 regular season games for Boston. He averaged 9.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists while shooting 59.3% from two-point range and 38.5% from the perimeter. He followed that up by playing in every playoff game, averaging 18.2 minutes per night as a key part of the Celtics bench rotation.
To begin the season, Pritchard signed a four-year $30 million contract extension.
On Monday, Boston won its 18th championship. Pritchard played a key role. Just 18 months after wanting out of the organization, his name will forever be etched in history.
Pritchard bet on himself last summer. He saw a spot in the rotation open up and believed he could make it his own. Now, he has a chance to help the Celtics contend for another title next season and in the coming years. That's a significant return on his investment and likely makes the struggles of last season worthwhile.
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