Boston Celtics: Why B/R feels Cs can pull trigger on a Payton Pritchard trade

There’s no guarantee that the Boston Celtics will take part in the NBA trade deadline festivities in a few weeks — but by that same token, there are no guarantees that there won’t be problems that pop up that force them to be.

Thus far, the Cs have been cruising along with the league’s best record, but that hasn’t been without several long-standing issues revealing themselves. Mainly, the big man rotation and wing depth leave a bit to be desired.

According to Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley, the struggles of two Cs, in particular, could force the front office’s hand and cause a trade involving Payton Pritchard. The Celtics in question are Sam Hauser, the 3-point specialist who has struggled to make 3’s over the past month, and Luke Kornet, the seven-footer who has done a serviceable job in the regular season but may not be trusted when the game slows down and guys like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid could be backing him down in the post:

"“Hauser started out red-hot from the perimeter, and Kornet has kept busy on the interior. If Boston feels good about their prospects, then this franchise might snooze right on through trade season.”“However, Hauser, a shooting specialist, has been mired in a shooting funk (30.4 percent since Dec. 1), and Kornet’s lack of lateral quickness can make him vulnerable in space. It isn’t hard to imagine their weaknesses being highlighted on a playoff opponent’s game plan. If the Celtics aren’t comfortable with that possibility, then a deal for frontcourt depth (perhaps at the expense of Payton Pritchard) could be in the cards.”"

Who the Boston Celtics could target at the trade deadline with Payton Pritchard

Any rebuilding team should register some interest in Payton Pritchard. The Oregon product is under a year and a half more of team control and could be extended on the cheap this coming October barring a massive end to the 2022-23 season with a new team.

That makes franchises like the Houston Rockets, Charlotte Hornets, Detroit Pistons, and San Antonio Spurs potential trade partners for Boston Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens and co. Should Stevens negotiate with those squads, the best targets would be guys like Boban Marjanovic (Houston), P.J. Washington (Charlotte), Cody Martin (Charlotte), Saddiq Bey (Detroit), and Zach Collins (San Antonio).

The Houdini would truthfully prefer Pritchard and his postseason experience, not to mention his efficient two-way contributions on the floor. But if a need pops up, Pritchard would most certainly be the first to go.