Payton Pritchard did the things we expect Payton Pritchard do in situations like this. With the Celtics down and struggling against the Memphis Grizzlies, Pritchard checked in late in the first quarter and quickly made a difference.
The Celtics were down by nine, but over the last 1:36, Pritchard helped Boston make it a two-point game with two 3-pointers and an assist on a third. The Memphis lead never touched 10, which is important because Boston has lost 14 games this season when trailing by 10 or more at any point. In that way, Pritchard’s early stretch was pretty clutch.
And to think, he was hoping to be watching this game in some other city.
A lot has been made recently of Pritchard’s vocal desire to find his playing time somewhere other than Boston. It’s understandable to be confused as to why a role player would want to leave a championship team, especially when he is generally loved by the fans.
But also, Pritchard is in a unique situation. He was a four-year college guy, which cuts into his earning potential as a pro. We see him as this young third-year player, but he’s older than sixth-year Jayson Tatum. He’ll be 26 when his rookie deal ends. Jaylen Brown will get his third contract when he’s 28.
And so I’m not going to begrudge a man’s desire to showcase himself more in order to prove he’s worthy of another deal. No one is crying for a pro athlete who is making millions to play a child’s game, but I’m also not going to the person who tells a guy like Pritchard that he shouldn’t be trying to make as much money as he can in the very small window of life he has to earn this kind of cash.
“Nobody’s ever really going to understand it from an outside view,” Pritchard said. “They don’t live my life, they don’t live our lives, so everybody’s going to have their opinions and I’m never going to let that affect me. I’m always going to be open about how I’m feeling and stuff, but I’m always going to be ready to come in and work and be a professional.”
Marcus Smart first brought up the possibility of Pritchard playing elsewhere earlier this season, noting that no matter what his situation is, he needs to understand every game is potentially an audition for someone. And while the inconsistent playing time really seemed to bother him earlier this season, no one has questioned his dedication and work ethic. As Brad Stevens recently said, Pritchard isn’t upset that he’s not playing, he’s upset because he loves basketball and he’s not playing. It’s an important distinction because the passion is evident to everyone, and they understand the business side of his candid comments.
“I love Payton. I’m happy Payton is expressing himself and the honesty that he speaks with,” Joe Mazzulla said. “I think it’s important to talk about that stuff because at the end of the day, I trust him completely and regardless of his circumstances, he’s always ready to play. He’s the ultimate professional and so he’s in the category of regardless of what’s going on, he’s ready to play at all times.”
He could have been moved at the trade deadline. There was certainly interest in him, and there will be this summer. Stevens can reward Pritchard with an opportunity to play by actively shopping him to places with the minutes he wants. But Stevens also made it pretty clear that Pritchard was too valuable to the team to just dump somewhere.
“We really value Payton. Payton is a big, important part of our team,” Stevens said after the trade deadline passed. “One thing we all know is that he can go in a playoff game and change it. When you’re a young player, it’s tough because you want to prove yourself and prove that you belong. He’s done that. Everybody knows. Everybody in the league knows he can play. We know he can play. He's not in an easy situation, especially when you’re 25, but he's really appreciated here."
He changed this game on Sunday afternoon. He helped the Celtics keep a game from falling out of their control. Without two starters and their sixth man, the Celtic bench was able to match a mostly healthy Memphis bench thanks in large part to Pritchard’s contribution.
Playing in the NBA is a dream come true for just about everyone in the league. But the business of the NBA can be tough to navigate. Players don’t know who will draft them or if they’ll be traded. Many don’t know who will make them contract offers, or even if a contract offer will be made at all. That side of things can mess with a player, especially one in Pritchard’s situation. It takes a lot to shut that part of the brain off and focus on preparing for a game without any clarity on how much playing time is coming, if any is coming at all.
“I show up and I work and any minutes I get, I'm gonna play because I love to play basketball,” he said. “I love this city, I love this organization, I love my teammates. This is one of the best. This is what the whole thing was about: Me wanting to play, because that's what I love to do. That's all it's been about. But I'm here and I do love it here and I'm committed. I want to help this team any way I can to win a championship.”