As the Boston Celtics look to revamp their roster and contend for their 18th NBA Championship following a disappointing end to the 2022-23 season, one of their primary objectives should be enhancing their guard depth.
In order to accomplish this, it is worth considering a replacement for Payton Pritchard.
The Celtics have already taken steps towards adjusting their guard depth by parting ways with long-time Celtic Marcus Smart, who was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies as part of a recent deal to acquire Kristaps Porzingis from the Washington Wizards.
However, Boston’s roster changes may not be complete, and Pritchard could be the next player affected. He has been surrounded by trade rumors due to reduced playing time last season, as Smart and 6th Man of the Year-winner Malcolm Brogdon shouldered the responsibilities as primary ball handlers.
Pritchard played a career-low 48 regular-season games, averaging 5.6 points in 11.7 minutes per game. In the postseason, his playing time plummeted to just 5.7 minutes across 10 games. This is a significant contrast to his role the previous year, appearing in all 24 playoff games and contributing 4.8 points in 12.9 minutes per game.
Despite Pritchard’s impressive perimeter shooting and crafty ball handling that have captivated fans, it might be beneficial for both the player and the team to explore alternative options and create a more balanced guard rotation.
Fortunately, there are guards available in the open market who are willing to sacrifice playing time for the opportunity to contribute significantly during deep playoff runs.
Here are 3 potential candidates the Boston Celtics could consider replacing Payton Pritchard with
Ish Smith
Should the Celtics wish to put more emphasis on playmaking off the bench, Ish Smith would be their best option.
Entering the later stages of his career after turning 35 on July 5 (Happy Birthday, Ish!), the journeyman got to celebrate his first NBA title with the Denver Nuggets following a five-game series win over the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals.
Smith played in 43 regular-season games for the Nuggets during the 2022-23 season, averaging 2.5 points, 2.3 assists, and 1.3 rebounds in 9.3 minutes of action.
His solid all-around game could benefit Boston for short stints on the court when they want to lessen the workload on Derrick White and Malcolm Brogdon, who will likely have more responsibilities as the primary ballhandlers in the guard rotation next season.
Trey Burke
If Boston wants a player to provide a spark off the bench at a rate similar to Pritchard’s but for shorter stints on the court, Trey Burke is a player worth looking into.
Currently on a one-year hiatus from the league, Burke last played for the Dallas Mavericks during the 2021-22 season. The former 2013 lottery pick averaged 5.1 points and 1.4 assists in 42 games, embracing a small bench role en route to the team’s overachieving run to the Western Conference Finals.
The 30-year-old guard has been showcasing he still has what it takes to play in the NBA for the Stockton Kings in the NBA G-League. For the 2022-23 campaign, he put up 15.5 points, four assists, and two rebounds per game. He did this while coming off the bench in 24 of his 29 appearances.
Having Burke would allow the Boston Celtics to balance out their guard rotation as he won’t need a lot of playing time, but will be ready to give a scoring punch when his name is called
George Hill
Another guard who would be on the outside looking in but would be helpful in providing veteran leadership for the younger guards on the Boston Celtics’ roster, George Hill would fit that role quite well.
Approaching the twilight years of his career at 37, Hill would likely be ring-chasing to give himself another chance to secure the highly-coveted championship ring and close the curtains on a solid NBA career.
In 46 games for the Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers, he put up five points, 2.4 assists, and 1.8 rebounds on a strong 47% shooting from the field and 35.8 percent from beyond the arc.
Signing Hill on what would likely be the veteran’s minimum, Boston can put his skillset in making the right play and knocking down the occasional three-pointer to good use, especially when they make a deep run in the playoffs on the search for Banner 18.