Injuries could keep Boston Celtics guard on team beyond trade deadline
Recent comments made by Payton Pritchard made it seem likely that the Boston Celtics and the disgruntled guard — whose minutes are at a career-low in year three despite a brilliant 2022 postseason — will be moving on from each other as soon as possible.
Because of injuries, though, the upcoming February 9 trade deadline does not fit that description.
NESN’s Adam London pointed out that because Boston’s backcourt has been hit with injuries of late, most notably Marcus Smart’s sprained right ankle, Pritchard will likely remain a Celtic on February 10 and at least until the offseason:
"‘Had the Celtics been granted the fortune of perfect health, Pritchard potentially could have been a trade chip for Stevens and company ahead of the league’s Feb. 9 deadline — and he still might. But with Marcus Smart and others banged up, the Oregon product probably will have to ride it out with Boston for the remainder of the season.”"
The Boston Celtics being in win-now mode likely to cost them their most recent first-round pick
Throughout the 2010s, then-Boston Celtics GM Danny Ainge was in pick-hoarding mode after tearing down the ‘Big 3’ era team through the Kevin Garnett-Paul Pierce trade to Brooklyn and the Rajon Rondo trade with Dallas. Two of those picks from the Nets ended up becoming Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and by the 2020-21 season, Ainge’s drafted core had become a fully developed win-now unit.
Thus, there haven’t been many draft picks since the team made the 2020 Eastern Conference finals in the Disney World bubble. In fact, there’s been two, and one of them (Aaron Nesmith) was sent off with another draft pick this past offseason in the Malcolm Brogdon trade.
Payton Pritchard is the lone young gun the team has developed throughout the years, and because the team has reached the top of the league, he too could be shipped off soon enough because veterans took precedence. And understandably so.
It could be a while before the Celtics are in talent drafting mode again considering the draft picks Brad Stevens keeps trading away and the draft picks Ainge selected who have now become superstars.