NBA

Celtics, Payton Pritchard agree to a four-year, $30 million extension

Author photo
By
James Foglio
Author photo
James Foglio Sports Editor

James is a Basketball Insiders contributor. He earned his bachelor's degree in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. James enjoys watching sports and helping gamblers win money.

All posts by James Foglio
Sports Editor

Updated09 Oct 2023

Boston Celtics, Payton Pritchard agree to a four-year, $30 million extension

The Boston Celtics and guard Payton Pritchard have agreed to a four-year, $30 million extension, his agents Austin Brown, Max Saidman, and Mitch Nathan of CAA Sports announced on Sunday. His new deal begins in 2024-25.

Pritchard, 25, was eligible for restricted free agency. However, the Celtics were in a rush to re-sign the Oregon native to help the Eastern Conference contender win the 2024 NBA championship.

Referring to a few NBA betting sites, the Boston Celtics are the No. 1 favorites to win this season’s championship. Sportsbooks are still showing great odds for the Milwaukee Bucks, Denver Nuggets, and Phoenix Suns.


“It feels really good,” Pritchard said after Boston’s first preseason game Sunday night. “Just to be secure, lock it in and be a part of a great organization, a great city. Obviously, I think this is the best basketball organization and city in the NBA. It feels good.”

Per ESPN, Pritchard is the seventh player in the 2020 draft class to agree on a rookie-scale contract extension — joining LaMelo Ball, Desmond Bane, Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton, Isaiah Stewart, and Devin Vassell.

“Most guys in his position, the league breaks them. He’s not one of those guys,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said of Pritchard. “So he continues to be a tough SOB for us, and I’m happy I continue to coach him this year.”

Boston Celtics, guard Payton Pritchard agree to a four-year, $30 million extension; his new deal begins in the 2024-25 season

After Boston’s 2023 Eastern Conference Finals series loss to the Miami Heat, Pritchard had hoped “to be traded this summer.” Of course, that changed when free agency hit.

Pritchard was selected 26th overall by the Celtics in the 2020 NBA Draft out of the University of Oregon. During his rookie 2020-21 season, the 6-foot-1 guard made four starts in 66 games played with Boston.

The Oregon product averaged career highs of 7.7 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 19.2 minutes per game while shooting a career-best 44% from the floor, 41.1% beyond the arc, and 88.9% at the foul line.

In the 2021-22 season, Pritchard made two starts in 71 appearances. He averaged 6.2 points, 1.9 boards, a career-high 2.0 assists, and 14.1 minutes per game. Plus, the guard shot 42.9% from the field and a career-best 41.2% from downtown.


Under Mazzulla, Payton Pritchard received three starts in 48 contests of the 2022-23 season. His performances were lackluster, averaging career lows of 5.6 points, 1.8 boards, 1.3 assists, and 13.4 minutes per game.

Though, the guard closed out the 2022-23 regular season with an incredible outing. In the Celtics’ 120-114 regular-season finale win against the Atlanta Hawks on April 9, 2023, he recorded career highs of 30 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists in 46 minutes as a starter.

Last season, he joined James Harden as the only players with a triple-double and nine 3-pointers in a game in NBA history, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

NBA Betting Content You May Like