Boston Celtics: What is the ‘right price’ for Payton Pritchard and Grant Williams?

The Boston Celtics are, surprisingly, willing to part with Payton Pritchard or Grant Williams this offseason ‘at the right price’. That got the Houdini wondering…

What is the right price?

Pritchard and Williams played nearly indispensable roles during the Celtics’ postseason run to the 2022 NBA Finals, with both players shining at different points of Boston’s run through the previous three teams to eliminate them from the postseason.

Pritchard signed during the Miami Heat series, providing invaluable long-range shooting during Games 1&3 of the series. The second-year guard shot 10/24 throughout the first four games of the series before Ime Udoka shrunk the rotation in the final three games of the Eastern Conference finals.

Williams shined more during the team’s second-round series against the Milwaukee Bucks, pouring in 27 points on 7/18 shooting from beyond the arc in a series-clinching Game 7 performance at the T.D. Garden and putting up 21 points on 6/9 3-point shooting in Game 2.

While neither player particularly performed well during the NBA Finals, with one double-digit scoring effort between the two of them over the six-game series, it’s somewhat surprising to see their names in trade talks at this point.

Clearly, Boston Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens and the rest of the front office want to get this team over the top, and the 23/24-year-olds are the team’s best tradeable chips in their second unit.

What is the ‘right price’ for the Boston Celtics to trade Payton Pritchard and Grant Williams?

Together, Payton Pritchard and Grant Williams represent $6.5 million of salary. When it comes to fetching pieces in a deal for either, or even both combined, the number of available players that move the needle forward at that price is significantly is small. Remember, the Cs lack cap space to take on excess salary in a deal that doesn’t involve any of their three TPEs.

In terms of needle-moving veterans, since most players on a rookie-scale contract are likely unattainable at that $6.5 million figure, Rudy Gay and Patty Mills have contracts that would work if the Celtics wanted to package both players and turn them into a win-now piece. Both Gay and Mills have ties to Ime Udoka during his days with the San Antonio Spurs.

For just Williams’ salary, Charlotte Hornets PF P.J. Washington is an intriguing target to attach a draft pick to. George Hill could likely be had in a straight swap, or with picks coming to Boston, for Williams considering his potential fit with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Pritchard’s contract is even tougher to find a suitable player to trade for. Bones Hyland and Cam Thomas could have higher ceilings and may be worth pairing future seconds with to get something done.

Of course, all bets are off if Pritchard or Williams are packaged in a larger deal for a star. That’s certainly the perfect price to pay for losing two late first-round steals from the 2019 and 2020 drafts.