In recent years, Brad Stevens has moved quickly to secure the long-term futures of Boston's best players. This summer, it was Payton Pritchard's turn to negotiate an extended stay with the franchise, as he became eligible for a contract extension. On Monday, October 13, ESPN's Shams Charania announced that Pritchard had agreed to a two-year, $44.2 million extension with the franchise.
Pritchard doesn't have a player option on his current four-year, $30 million contract. As such, his new deal won't kick in until the 2028-29 season, when his salary will jump from $8.3 million to $21.2 million. The second year of his extension has a mutual option, meaning either Boston or Pritchard can opt in to that final year, which will be worth $22.9 million. It's important to note that while either side can opt into the contract, only Pritchard has the ability to opt out, per ESPN's Bobby Marks.
Even at an average value of $22.2 million per season, Pritchard's extension is fair value. For years, he's been one of the NBA's most underpaid players. He's a former Sixth Man of the Year and NBA Champion. He'll potentially earn more accolades before his extension kicks in, too.
With all this in mind, Masslive's Brian Robb and Souichi Terada went live on YouTube to share their immediate thoughts on Pritchard's new contract and the fact that Boston now has him tied down until the end of his age-32 season. The duo also discussed his projected role and growing importance to the franchise in the wake of Jaylen Brown being traded.
You can watch the full discussion by clicking on the embedded video below.
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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Did the Boston Celtics get fair value on Pritchard's extension?