The Boston Celtics drafted Payton Pritchard 26th overall in the 2020 NBA draft. With Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown on their team, they were stacking players that they could use down the road. The time has come for Payton Pritchard to show off his value, and he has been an integral part of the Celtics’ success.
Payton Pritchard Playing Against Young Fans in the Park
It is a rare sight to see professional NBA players playing against fans in the park out in the open. Playing at pickup games is one thing, but it seems Payton is taking things to the next level. He was recently caught on camera hooping against a young boy in a park in Boston. That might be the secret to his stellar start of the year. Boston Celtics’ guard took it easy on the young fan, and the two enjoyed a quick, fun game of hoops.
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His wife, Emma MacDonald, captured the video and posted it on her Instagram account. In the video, you can see Pritchard hitting a jumper after backing down the youngster and the kid saying “No Way!”
Pritchard Gives Celtics Value
Payton Pritchard might be the most important player for the Celtics this year. He is their big scoring option off the bench. Until Kristaps Porzingis returns from injury and Al Horford goes back to the bench, the Celtics lack scorers when their first unit is not on the floor. In four games so far, Payton has scored 15+ points three times and hit five three-pointers in three games.
In his last game against the Milwaukee Bucks, he scored 28 points, outscoring the Bucks’ bench by himself. What is even more important is his contract. Last summer, the young guard signed a four-year, $30 million contract extension with the Celtics. The contract keeps him under contract until the summer of 2028. Looking at Payton Pritchard’s stats in the first four games, he is an absolute bargain.
Payton Pritchard Breaks Celtics Record
Last night against the Milwaukee Bucks, Payton tied a record that has stood for more than 10 years. He became the first Celtics player to hit eight threes off the bench since Eddie House did it back during the Kevin Garnett – Paul Pierce era. If Pritchard can prove valuable to the Celtics as much as House did back in the day, Boston should be happy. House helped the Celtics to their 2008 championship title, making a name for himself in the Finals.
Is Pritchard Underpaid?
A huge reason why the Celtics love having Pritchard on their team is his contract. You can make an argument he is severely underpaid for the value he brings to the team. With new CBA rules and teams trying to squeeze out the value of every dollar, Pritchard is a gold mine. He will earn $6.7 million this year, $7.2 million next year, $7.7 million for the 2026-27 season, and $8.3 million for the 2027-28 season. Just for comparison, the average salary in the NBA for the 2024-25 season is $11.9 million, up from $9.7 million last year.
That means Pritchard makes 50% less than the average salary in the league. If you look at Payton Pritchard’s stats and compare them to other players earning as low as he is, the guard is a bargain. The Boston Celtics will pay $199 million for salary only during this season. With luxury tax penalties next season, they are heading toward becoming the first $500 million roster in NBA history. Having cheap, valuable players like Pritchard helps them ease the bill.
