By all accounts, Payton Pritchard had a good rookie season with the Boston Celtics. But as he works his way through NBA Summer League in preparation for his second go in the pros, the Oregon star isn’t satisifed.
After he dropped 17 points on six-of-nine shooting (including an impressive four-of-six from deep) as the Celtics blew out the Orlando Magic, 108-71 on Thursday, Pritchard opened up about what makes a next-level point guard — and his own career goals.
“What separates good point guards from becoming great is the ability to make people around you better, get people easier shots and control the game,” he told reporters after the win, via the official Celtics Twitter account. “Obviously that’s what I’m trying to become, so I’m going to keep working on that.”
If Pritchard believes the best guards are the ones that pass the ball around, then he’s on the right track. He had a game-high nine assists as the Celtics combined to post 33, which is a Summer League record. The Celtics are 3-0 so far this summer.
Pritchard logged 19.2 minutes per game as a rookie with 7.7 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists. And if he can continue the type of play he’s put together this summer, he may be in line to contribute as a major part of a backcourt that will have to figure out how to manage without Kemba Walker.
The addition of Dennis Schröder should help fill the void, but the addition of a veteran doesn’t necessarily mean that Pritchard will be shutout from meaningful minutes if he deserves them. And so far, he certainly does.
