The Boston Celtics will likely go into next season bearing a very different look, with one player already looking to be traded.
According to The Athletic’s Jay King and Jared Weiss, Payton Pritchard “has made it clear he hopes to be traded this summer.”
The point guard had very little involvement in the playoffs, playing just half of the Celtics’ 20 games. And his 33 total minutes in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat counted for the fifth-fewest among Boston players.
Pritchard, who averaged 5.6 points and 1.3 assists playing 13.4 minutes a game over 48 games, does not look to have a meaningful future in Boston. So his desire to leave is certainly understandable.
Marcus Smart is the starting point guard while Malcolm Brogdon is the designated backup. There’s not much that could be done at shooting guard either as Brogdon and Derrick White shared the minutes as understudies to Jaylen Brown.
Payton Pritchard Could Be A Valuable Option Elsewhere
Payton, who stands at 6ft 1in, could be a useful option on a second unit elsewhere in the league. Per Basketball Reference, the 25-year-old is averaging 20.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 5.4 assists every 100 possessions.
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral NBA stories via Google! Follow Us
There is a chance that he stays, though, as Smart or Brodgdon could possibly be traded in the offseason. The Celtics should also appreciate his $4 million salary as they could be $27.7 million over the salary cap.
Trading Pritchard might actually leave them in a deeper hole.
