It’s impossible to win an NBA Championship without stars. The Boston Celtics have that. But it’s equally as unattainable to bring home a banner without top-notch depth. Some teams have done it, but the Celtics didn’t use that formula. They stacked their roster with quality players from top to bottom.
And while he didn’t play a ton of minutes in the NBA Finals, Payton Pritchard was crucial to Boston’s success. He even hit one of the biggest shots of the season, nailing a half-court heave heading into halftime of Game 5.
Payton Pritchard is on one of the best contracts in the NBA
Pritchard played a significant role for the Celtics all year despite being cut from the rotation the season prior. He appeared in all 82 games, averaging 9.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists while shooting 46.8% from the field and 38.5% from beyond the three-point line.
Boston inked him to a contract extension last summer, and now, it’s paying off big-time. Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report compiled a list of the 12 best contracts in the league, and he ranked Pritchard’s deal as the eighth-best in the NBA.
“With Boston heavily invested in players like Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Holiday and White, Pritchard's economic deal is extremely valuable,” Pincus wrote.
Pritchard is under contract with the Celtics through the 2027-28 season. He is set to make roughly $6.7 million this year, and in his final year with Boston, he’ll make just $8.3 million. Once Sam Hauser’s new extension kicks in, Pritchard will be the eighth-highest-paid player on the Celtics.
Jrue Holiday and Derrick White are the top guards on the roster, but since both are members of the starting lineup, having a great backup is important. Pritchard provides Boston with that luxury.
And considering Holiday is already 34 years old, Pritchard could be propelled into a larger role at some point in the near future.
Whenever Pritchard has gotten the chance to have more responsibilities within Boston’s offense—whether it be because guys are hurt or sitting out—he’s stepped up. In the final two games of the season last year, Pritchard put up 31 and 38 points, respectively.
Pritchard’s ability to score that effectively is exactly what makes his deal one of the best in the NBA.