Boston Celtics ‘have a gap’ on contract extension talks with fan-favorite

Things are looking quite different for the Boston Celtics at the guard spot this season — to say the very least. Of the most prominent players in Boston’s backcourt rotation, only one remains — Derrick White.

Both Malcolm Brogdon and Marcus Smart were offloaded in trades this summer, leaving Payton Pritchard with room to take on a bigger role behind White and the newly acquired Jrue Holiday. Last year, he found himself racking up DNPs like it was no one’s business, despite being solid every time he was given a real opportunity.

Well, it seems like he may be interested in sticking around for a bit in the increased role. According to The Athletic’s Jared Weiss, Pritchard has begun contract extension talks with the Celtics, but the two sides have a “gap to close” in the negotiations.

“The Celtics have opened extension talks with Pritchard but still have a gap to close to reach an agreement, according to sources briefed on the negotiations,” Weiss wrote.

The Boston Celtics-Payton Pritchard extension talks are exciting, right?

Weiss’s report of Pritchard discussing an extension with Boston comes as a bit of a surprise. Just four months ago, all of the chatter was about the 25-year-old’s desire to find a new home via trade, due to a lack of playing time with the Celtics.

Now, he’s looking to ink a new deal to spend some extra years in Boston.

It would be a bit more fun if the two sides weren’t so far apart on the terms of the extension, but I suppose that’s part of the negotiation process.

Pritchard would be a great rotational piece for the Cs to keep around on the right deal. For his career, he’s shot over 40% from beyond the arc, and again, has stepped up in just about every instance where he’s been asked to do so.

He was just the victim of some unfortunate circumstances last season, playing behind three high-level guards in Smart, White, and Brogdon.