The calendar has flipped to October, training camp has officially kicked off, the preseason will be starting next week, and before you know it, the NBA season will be here. The Celtics have some roster battles to monitor around the margins, and it will be intriguing to see how the new pieces fit together, but the biggest thing to watch for between now and the beginning of the season is Payton Pritchard’s contract status.
Pritchard signed a four-year, $30 million rookie-scale extension back in 2023 and currently has two years left on the deal. Since signing, he has broken out and made that contract look like one of the biggest bargains in the league, as he has blossomed into a true difference-maker and a core member of the Celtics.
And now, it’s time to finally pay the piper as Pritchard became extension-eligible on Thursday, October 1st. Payton and the Celtics have from now until the October 19th deadline to come to an agreement before he enters the season, which will end with him set to enter a contract year.
He’s eligible for a three-year extension at 140% of his current deal, which means the Celtics can tack on three more years and $69 million, keeping PP in Boston until the end of the 2030-31 season, when he’ll be 33 years old.
Massive decision facing Pritchard and the Celtics
For the Celtics, this negotiation should be a no-brainer, as they can lock up one of their best players for the remainder of his prime for just $23 million in average annual value. By the time that deal would start, in the 2028-29 season, with expected salary cap growth, that contract would likely count for less than 10% of the cap for Boston, meaning even with a significant raise, Pritchard would still be on a very team-friendly deal.
For Payton, things are a little tougher. On the one hand, I’m sure he’d love to lock down three more years and nearly $70 million guaranteed. No matter how you slice it, that’s a lot of money. On the other hand, by waiting, he can become eligible to make a lot more money, and if he takes another leap, he could hit the open market as a marquee free agent and potentially command a much bigger salary than the max that Boston can currently offer.
But that comes with a lot of risk. If Pritchard’s ascension doesn’t continue, or he suffers an ugly injury, suddenly you’re looking at a small guard who will be 30 years old. He could find his free agent market to be much less appealing than it would appear at the moment. It’s a lot to consider, and it’s obviously a huge decision for Pritchard and the team.
I’m hopeful that they can get a deal worked out, as Pritchard has been a huge part of the team and has been outplaying his contract for years, and Brad Stevens has become a master at extending his own players. I also have high hopes for him this season and think he has a chance to rise to an All-Star level with a bigger role in the offense and more touches and usage. If they’re able to work out a deal and those things come to fruition, it’s going to be very exciting to have Pritchard secured for the rest of the decade and beyond.
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