Extending Payton Pritchard for two years and $44.2 million was a relative no-brainer for the Celtics, as it’s a team-friendly max that keeps both sides happy. Obviously, the Celtics have big plans for Pritchard and expect him to take another leap this year, becoming a focal point of the offense after Jaylen Brown's departure.
A common assumption is that Boston will promote the former Sixth Man of the Year into the starting lineup, putting more responsibility on his plate, and this extension is another vote of confidence in the 28-year-old point guard.
My fellow Hardwood Houdini colleague, Bobby Krivitsky, outlined that exact logic shortly after the extension was signed and explained why this move may be a precursor to a promotion for Pritchard. It makes perfect sense, as he may be the number-two option on offense now behind Jayson Tatum, and an All-Star-type season doesn’t feel out of the question.
However, I think a counterargument could be made that this extension actually gives Joe Mazzulla and the Celtics the freedom to keep bringing Pritchard off the bench. Now that he has the extra guaranteed years, he’s locked up for the next four seasons and doesn’t have to worry about his next contract.
Pritchard no longer has to play for his next contract
Surely, Pritchard still wants to play to the best of his ability, but he won’t have a contract extension in the back of his mind and shouldn’t care about the narrative and perception that go along with being a starter or a bench player. In reality, he’s going to play over 30 minutes a night regardless of when he enters the game, and he’s going to be on the floor in crunch time.
That’s all that really matters. If Mazzulla feels that he can make a bigger impact coming off the bench and leading the second unit, then that’s what the Celtics should do. Now, no pressure comes with that decision, and there’s no potential for guilt about messing with his potential earnings.
Fair or not, bench players aren’t going to get paid as much as starters, even if they make the same impact. We all know what kind of impact Pritchard is going to make, and how he spends the first few minutes of the game shouldn’t really make a difference.
But at least now, we know that his future contract situation won’t be a factor in the decision in any way. If Joe wants to elevate him to the starting lineup, great. If he wants to keep bringing him off the bench, that’s great too. What’s important is that the choice will be purely based on basketball and what’s best for the Boston Celtics, and that’s all anyone should care about.
Add us as a preferred source on Google