On Tuesday afternoon, just a week before the start of the 2026-27 NBA season, the Boston Celtics reportedly signed point guard Payton Pritchard to a two-year, $44.2 million contract extension, per ESPN insider Shams Charania. This will get Pritchard paid up until the 2029-30 campaign, which features a mutual option.
The 2025 Sixth Man of the Year's extension is fully guaranteed and demonstrates that the Celtics view him as an integral part of their core. Pritchard averaged a career-high 17 points per game last season and was long overdue for a deal, as he makes around $7 to $8 million per year on his current contract despite being far more talented than other NBAers earning that amount.
With former Celtics star Jaylen Brown no longer in Beantown
following a blockbuster trade this summer, Pritchard is expected to take on a larger role on offense. He's already shown signs of what he's capable of, most recently recording a game-high 25 points off the bench during a 144-106 beatdown of the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night.
Although this performance was during preseason play, it's indicative of Pritchard's significant upside. And as for the business side of things, $22 million per year isn't that steep of a price for the Celtics to pay in the modern NBA.
The C's have now extended Pritchard, wing Jordan Walsh, center Neemias Queta, and guard Ron Harper Jr. just in this offseason alone. Dealing Brown in early July before he became eligible for a massive extension may be part of the reason why Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens was able to pull off all these aforementioned deals.
Team building and money-saving measures aside, it's clear that Boston's front office and coaching staff believe in Pritchard. The 6-foot-1 point guard has been an underdog for the majority of his basketball life, and his hard work truly paid off.
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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Payton Pritchard signs 2-year, $44 million contract extension with Celtics ahead of 2026-27 season
