Payton Pritchard’s Secret Celtics Saga: The Blockbuster Trade That Almost Sent Him Packing—How a Last-Minute Twist Sparked His Stunning Rise, Unseen Locker Room Drama, and the Untold Story Behind Boston’s New Star!
Imagn Images/NBC Sports Boston
Take a stroll outside TD Garden before a Boston Celtics home game, and you quickly discover that Payton Pritchard-themed merchandise is a hot item.
Street vendors apologize for their lack of inventory on “Pritch Please” hoodies and suggest maybe snagging one of the few remaining T-shirts spilling out of the boxes next to their cluttered tables.
Inside TD Garden, a cartoon Pritchard adorns the shirts of fans clutching “Pritch Please” signage. No. 11 jerseys dot the arena, some with Pritchard’s named still taped over Kyrie Irving’s old nameplate.
Two seasons ago, this all felt slightly improbable. Despite emerging as an immediate role player for the Celtics after being taken 26th overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, and despite playing in all 24 playoff games amid Boston’s run to the 2022 NBA Finals, Pritchard’s playing time had all but dried up during the 2022-23 season. The Celtics had an overstocked backcourt with the addition of Malcolm Brogdon, who was steamrolling toward the Sixth Man of the Year award.
Quietly, Pritchard seethed, trying to use his lack of playing time as fuel to work even harder for whenever his next opportunity arrived. But he had started to wonder if that opportunity would be somewhere other than Boston, culminating with what was essentially a plea for Brad Stevens to move him if the Celtics’ president of basketball operations didn’t see a robust role for Pritchard with the team.
“At the time, [asking for a trade] wasn’t really that hard because I just didn’t see a future,” said Pritchard. “I’ve always said this: It was nothing to do with the city or the organization. I think the organization is top-notch. I think Boston is the best sports city in the world. The best fans and the games are always sold out. As a player, you want to play in a situation like that.
“But, end of the day, I’d rather be playing. And I wasn’t playing. I was watching a lot of games. Now, we were really good and I was going to be a good teammate, regardless of the situation. But I’m a competitor and I thought I belonged on the court to play, and play with the best. And so I went to Brad and just asked if, like, there was an opportunity out there where they could get value back. It didn’t end up working.“
Or maybe it did.
Chris Forsberg sat down with Payton Pritchard and his teammates to discuss his early challenges, requesting a trade, and his rise to Sixth Man of the Year favorite.
“Payton wasn’t playing a couple of years ago and that was hard,” said Stevens. “Part of the reason that that was hard was, he did play a lot his first year, didn’t play as much his second at the start, and then at the end of the second played more. And so you have that as your foundation. Sometimes when you have that as your foundation, it’s a lot more difficult to then go backwards.
“But it was pretty clear, that summer [of 2023], that we should either probably help him find a place to play or make sure that we had space for him to play, because he’s a really good player and he’s kind of guy you want in your building. He’s an all-time worker.”
Danny Ainge, who drafted Pritchard, has often suggested that the best trades you make can be the ones you don’t. The Celtics put a high value on Pritchard and were rewarded for not making any sort of rash decision to ship him out.
“I won’t go into specifics, but it takes two to tango,” said Stevens. “I think, at the end of the day, trade-wise, there wasn’t — to be honest with you, there was nothing even close.”
Stevens made seismic roster changes that summer that shipped out both Smart and Brogdon, as the Celtics reset their core with Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday. Despite the addition of a championship guard, it was clear there was a pathway to more playing time for Pritchard, whom Stevens soon engaged about a long-term extension.
By the start of 2023-24 season, Pritchard had the hope of consistent playing time and a four-year, $30 million contract extension. Two years after his trade request, it’s Pritchard who is steamrolling toward Sixth Man of the Year — and could be a key piece in Boston’s quest to repeat as champions.
Admitted Pritchard: “It ended up working out.”
To be honest with you, there was nothing even close.
Brad Stevens on trade offers for Payton Pritchard in the summer of 2023
There was a certain glow to Pritchard when he plopped down in a chair inside the WGBH building next to the Celtics’ practice facility earlier this month. Once reserved in these interview settings, he’s open and honest as this reporter asks him to relive the highs and lows of his Boston tenure. Teammates will soon take his spot, and then rave about his work ethic and his importance to Boston’s title hopes.
“Opportunities come and go, depending on coaching staff, depending on things that sometimes may be outside of your control,” said Jaylen Brown. “As long as you keep your head right, your work ethic, and continue to grow your game, your potential will shine through.
“Payton’s having a hell of a year this year. He’s been great for our group. He’s been a superstar in his role. He’s been the definition of a superstar in his role. And we’ve empowered that. It’s been an honor. It’s been a pleasure to be alongside somebody who has that work ethic, shows up every day to give you his best. And that’s what we need.
“Payton’s a huge part of our team.”
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla struggled to find time for Pritchard at the start of his tenure as Boston coach, but has leaned heavily on him this season.
“I’m grateful for his competitive nature and the passion that he brings every day,” said Mazzulla. “The great thing about him is he’s competitive and he wears his heart on his sleeve. He just wants to win. He wants to be a part of something great and he’ll do whatever it takes to do that.”
Echoed veteran big man Al Horford: “Payton’s resilient and Payton’s very driven. Payton, one of the things that everybody talks about is hard work, and he’s a very hard worker. But his mindset, he’s very competitive. He’s very resilient. And it’s just been pretty impressive to see the big leap that he has taken this year. And he’s obviously more confident.
“But just his will, it’s something that is contagious and inspiring.”
In a sit-down with Chris Forsberg, Jrue Holiday suggests that if Payton Pritchard doesn’t win Sixth Man of the Year, then the voting is rigged.
Pritchard’s hard work and resiliency should soon be rewarded with an individual honor: the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award. It’s an award with deep Boston roots, from John Havlicek to Kevin McHale to Bill Walton to Brogdon. Now Pritchard is poised to etch his name into that lineage of Boston bench stars.
Pritchard might carve out a couple other entries in the record book, too.
He already set an NBA record for the most 3-pointers off the bench in a single season, and now is jockeying with teammates Jayson Tatum and White to set a new Celtics single-season record in 3-point makes. Pritchard and White were the first NBA tandem to score 40 points apiece in a win over Pritchard’s hometown Blazers last month.
Who could have envisioned all this back in February 2023? Pritchard bet on himself and has been handsomely rewarded.
What follows is more from our Q&A with Pritchard earlier this month, edited for clarity and brevity, as he revisited the highs and lows of his Boston journey:
What was your lowest moment of this journey?
Pritchard: “There’s a lot of moments where you question whether you’re going to make it, whether I was even gonna make it to this level, if I was going to be able to continue to play in the NBA.
“After my second year, I was part of the rotation, being in the Finals, and still a young player trying to develop, trying to get better. And then, third year, to not playing at all and going what felt like 20 games in a row, not touching the floor. Having many guys out and not playing still. So that could definitely be a mental test and a lot of people can kind of crumble in that situation.
“I was fortunate to have good vets around. I became close with Blake [Griffin] and he really helped me during that time because it just allowed me to have somebody that was a Hall of Famer in my ear telling me how much potential I really had. I had a coach named Aaron Miles that helped me through that year a lot, too.
“But a lot of those moments, I think, is what made me better. It made me hungrier. I worked on things that I needed to get better at. And hopefully this is just the start of it all. I hope I can continue this growth, and I know I’ll continue to put in the work to keep getting better. I don’t know what the future holds or what my ceiling is.”
Could you ever imagine, in that moment, how quickly it would have flipped? And do you ever think, “Man, I’m kind of glad Brad didn’t trade me?”
Pritchard: “Obviously, Brad made the decision to keep me here and obviously had belief in me that I could turn out to be something.
“I’m very happy to be here. I mean, this is like home. The East Coast is home to me now. So Boston, being from Oregon, I enjoy it here.”
How quickly did you start to see it turning the corner and when did you realize you were going to get a chance?
Pritchard: “Well, once we started talking about the extension in the summertime that was going to come. Waiting to see like how that was going to work out. And then to see the guards leave, Smart and Malcolm, good players; we lost Rob [Williams III]. But like, we gained Jrue and KP. So got a lot of talent back.
“But I saw that there was a position, that I was going to be given at least 15 minutes a night. So I just took that opportunity and said, ‘OK, I’ll take 15 and try to build on that and just keep getting better and better and earn more and more.’
“I went through my slump still at first. I remember the start of my fourth year, I went the first five games, don’t even know if I hit a shot, you know? People forget about those moments, but I don’t. And I remember saying at the time, I feel like it’s these those type of moments were going gonna make me better in the end.”
What did it mean to get that contract extension?
Pritchard: “I feel like, the money aside, I feel like what helped me the most is like I knew I had four more years to prove myself and keep growing in the best league in the world. So that was the biggest thing for me is just to have the opportunity to play and keep showing what I’m capable of.”
You’ve said winning a title is most important. But what would it mean to join the Celtics’ long history of Sixth Men of the Year?
Pritchard: “Oh, it’d be an honor for sure. It’s something that every player does want. If they come off the bench, you do want that award.
“Now, I’m not hanging my head on it, whether I get it or not. I put myself in the best position to get it. But, end of the day, it means I helped my team off the bench, at the best of my ability, and I did my job. But definitely would be an honor and to put my name into history with those guys.”
Has it sunk in that you are an NBA record holder? You’ve done things no other bench player has ever done.
Pritchard: “It hasn’t really. The coaches actually just put the ball in my locker. So I have that. I’ll give that to my wife, maybe she’ll I frame it or something, I don’t know. But hopefully I can build on that.”
What other mementos have you saved from your journey so far?
Pritchard: “I’ve gotten certain people’s jerseys, have done that stuff. My parents really have a lot of it. Like, my dad got the jersey from the Blazers game, when me and D-White both had the 40 [points]. So I felt like that was a monumental moment for Boston history, too. And then the championship jersey.
Have you noticed our teams defending you differently now?
Pritchard: “I think it changes game to game, but I definitely notice there’s certain times where I draw certain defenders, they’re better matchups.
“Sometimes they don’t leave my body or just not try to me get easy looks. Which I want because it’s a respect thing. And when you are a good player, they’re going to put the better defenders on you.”
Do you have a favorite Pritchard nickname or phrase? There’s been no shortage of them this season.
Pritchard: “My teammates, I think they like the, ‘Pritch Please.’ They say that a lot. So I feel like it’s cool, it’s catchy. I see it all over, even on away stadiums now. So it’s definitely cool.”
What is it like to see all the Payton Pritchard gear at the Garden?
Pritchard: “Just very appreciative to have the support of the people. I feel like I give a lot of communities the sense of hope, that with hard work anything is possible. So that’s what I at least want to give off. And I appreciate [the fan support].”
