What Payton Pritchard Must Prove To Raise Ceiling Of Celtics Role

Payton Pritchard appears primed for a breakout season, but in order for that to happen, he must prove one part of his game doesn’t hinder the Celtics.

Boston signed Pritchard to a four-year, $30 million extension last Sunday. The move came as a surprise since this season felt like a prove-it year for the fourth-year guard, who has struggled to earn consistent minutes under three different head coaches.

But the departures of Marcus Smart and Malcolm Brogdon opened up room in the backcourt, and Pritchard showed his potential in a bench role with two breakout games to start the Celtics’ preseason.

Sam Hauser warned Pritchard was “out for blood” this season as he aims to prove he deserves a larger role, and Boston’s contract extension showed it will back Pritchard despite being subjected to multiple trade rumors.

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However, the key thing for Pritchard is not his scoring output, but how he can contribute defensively.

The Celtics acquired Jrue Holiday to help in that department, and Derrick White took a huge leap last season to earn a spot on the All-Defensive Team. Pritchard doesn’t need to ascend to that level, but he must prove he isn’t a liability who will force Joe Mazzulla to decide if his scoring is worth it if other teams are feasting on him in mismatches.

Pritchard was among the worst players on the Celtics in defensive win shares and defensive box plus/minus — statistics that highlight how well a player contributes on the defensive side of the ball. Though not a predictive or clean stat, it’s not a place where you want to find yourself. However, to his credit, Pritchard is a hard worker and hustles even when he gets beat on defense, so that’s a positive sign for the coaching staff.

Boston’s offseason decisions certainly hint toward a more aggressive offense but the coaching staff additions also hint toward Mazzulla getting more help and fine-tuning the details on the roster. Sam Cassell could be vital for Pritchard’s success on the team.

Cassell was praised for his basketball mind and his work with guards during his assistant tenure with the Philadelphia 76ers and played a part in Tyrese Maxey’s ascension to a starting-level guard.

The Celtics targeted Maxey in their Eastern Conference semifinals matchup last season, but the 6-foot-2 guard had his moments on defense and was able to blend his offensive game to keep Philadelphia competitive in the series.

If Cassell can have a similar effect on the 6-foot-1 Pritchard, that would go a long way and make things easier for Mazzulla’s rotational decisions.