3 Boston Celtics players that benefited the most from NBA trade deadline
By Mark Nilon
Boston Celtics player No. 2) Payton Pritchard
The biggest name to have departed via trade from the Boston Celtics at this year’s deadline was their highly utilized guard, Dennis Schroder, who, right from the moment he signed with the team back in August, was viewed as a short-term stay candidate.
Ultimately, these projections proved to be true as the veteran was moved on deadline day in the deal that brought big man, Daniel Theis, back to the C’s from the Houston Rockets.
Schroder’s departure ultimately winds up carving out a 6-3 sized hole worthy of up to nearly 30 minutes a night within the backcourt rotation which, while a large chunk of this vacated playing time will be going to the newly acquired Derrick White, a solid amount could also easily be heading Payton Pritchard‘s direction in an effort to make up for the offensive production that the former shamrock provided on a nightly basis.
Throughout his young one-and-a-half-year career, the 24-year-old has shown flashes of being a truly productive role player in this league.
Since entering the association, the point guard has won over fans with his energizer bunny brand of hustle and his impressive displays of razzle-dazzle ball handling, natural passing instincts, and highly efficient shooting stroke.
Though his per-game numbers may not be all that impressive on the surface (4.8 points, 1.7 assists in just 12.2 minutes a night), when given ample playing time this year Pritchard has only managed to take advantage of the opportunity, especially in December when the injury/ COVID-19 ravaged C’s turned to the sophomore to take on more playing time and, in 20.8 minutes per game, posted 10 points, 2.9 assists, and 2.9 rebounds on 42 percent shooting from deep.
On top of all this, per 75 possessions the Oregon product is boasting averages of 14.8 points, 5.1 assists, and 4.7 assists on 37 percent shooting from deep, thus further indicating that, with more opportunities bestowed to him, the better Pritchard will be able to produce, not just for himself, but for his team as well.
With Schroder now in Houston, perhaps a large sum of this vacated time freed up within the rotation will make its way to the second-year pro where, in turn, he can hopefully go on to ball out.