Boston Celtics: Proposal sees Cs swap Payton Pritchard, dead money for Sacramento big man

Heavy's Sean Deveney revealed a proposal from an executive that would see the Boston Celtics package Payton Pritchard and dead money for a Sacramento big man (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
Heavy's Sean Deveney revealed a proposal from an executive that would see the Boston Celtics package Payton Pritchard and dead money for a Sacramento big man (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) /
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The Boston Celtics head into training camp with far more uncertainty one could have imagined them having back on July 1 when free agency opened and the team acquired two major win-now pieces to add to an Eastern Conference championship roster.

Those would Malcolm Brogdon, acquired from the Indiana Pacers for Daniel Theis, guard/forward Aaron Nesmith, forwards Malik Fitts and Juwan Morgan, guard Nik Stauskas, and a 2023 first-round draft choice, and signed Danilo Gallinari with their only significant means of adding a free agent: the taxpayer’s MLE.

As we have learned to accept, the Italian forward is likely not coming back to the Cs in 2022-23 because of the fact that his torn ACL is on the same leg he once tore his ACL on. Because of that, many believe he will be packaged with other contracts to acquire a backup big man — something that may be even more necessary in the wake of Robert Williams’ arthroscopic knee surgery knocking the starting center out of commission for the first few months of the season.

Heavy’s Sean Deveney was recently told a potential trade proposal by an anonymous league executive that would both make that scenario come to fruition and end Payton Pritchard’s time with the Boston Celtics:

"“I think you have to look at if you’re the Celtics, ‘OK what can Gallo, Pritchard, and a minimum get me?’ Probably not something they can do until December or January but is going to be the buzz all winter as they look around for ways to improve.”“I think Richaun Holmes would maybe make a lot of sense, you could get him for Pritchard and Gallo plus a minimum contract when it was all eligible. A backup big who has some energy and blocks shots, that would go well. Would Sacramento want Pritchard that much, that’s the only question. He can play as a shooter at the 2, that helps.”"

Luke Kornet being featured for the Boston Celtics isn’t good for Payton Pritchard

The apparent insertion of Luke Kornet into the starting five — which seems to be Boston Celtics interim head coach Joe Mazzulla’s plan until Robert Williams comes back based off of his training camp lineups — is not a good thing for Payton Pritchard.

With ‘The Timelord’ out, Mazzulla had the chance to cure his backcourt logjam by moving everyone up a position, or at least moving Malcolm Brogdon into the starting five which would make Pritchard the primary floor general off the pine.

If Kornet could earn minutes even when Williams returns, Pritchard could be the odd man out of the rotation — which MassLive’s Brian Robb feels is a formality for one of Marcus Smart, Brogdon, Derrick White, or Pritchard in the backcourt.

Next. Trading Pritchard for a big could balance roster. dark