Boston Celtics land former draft target in proposed Payton Pritchard trade

With the offseason upon us, trade ideas of all shapes, sizes, and potential impacts are being floated across the NBA rumor mill. In one that’d register as a smaller splash, the Boston Celtics would land former 2020 draft target Jalen Smith in a one-for-one mock trade proposal involving Payton Pritchard in the most realistic scenario Inside The Celtics’ Bobby Krivitsky put forward.

“If the Pacers view this as a deal worth making, the salaries allow for a one-for-one swap, with Pritchard on the books for just over $4 million next season and Smith earning slightly north of $5 million,” Krivitsky wrote.

MassLive’s Brian Robb listed the 23-year-old Indiana big man as a potential 2023 trade deadline option, and as Krivitsky pointed out, the Celtics registered interest in Smith at the 2022 trade deadline as well. It wouldn’t be shocking to see his name enter the mix again with Grant Williams’ potential free-agent departure looming.

Payton Pritchard plus second-round pick Boston Celtics proposal floated for Saddiq Bey

A less realistic trade target, but one who’d arguably fit with the Boston Celtics better than Smith would, is Hawks wing Saddiq Bey. Krivitsky believes the presence of other developable Atlanta wings and the lack of point guard depth behind Trae Young and Dejounte Murray make Pritchard a target and Bey a trade chip that makes sense.

“Atlanta has a pair of young wings it wants to develop in A.J. Griffin and Jalen Johnson, and even if Trae Young and Dejounte Murray get a second year together in the Peach State, the Hawks lack depth at point guard behind them,” Krivitsky prefaced before saying, “It’s worth seeing if Pritchard and the 35th pick can bring Saddiq Bey to Boston, even if the expectation is Atlanta says no.”

Pritchard would bring an offensive spark off the bench in Atlanta that got zero points at the floor general spot outside of the Young-Murray duo in the Hawks’ six-game postseason series loss to the Celtics. Bey would be a catch-and-shoot wing for Boston after going 40% from the 3-point line on five attempts per game during the 2022-23 season.

Who says no? Well, probably still Atlanta unless there is a draft-night faller who interests the Hawks front office by the time the Celtics would be on the clock.