Celtics Rumors: Payton Pritchard 'Made It Clear' He Hopes to Be Traded in Offseason

The Boston Celtics figure to look a little different when they take the court to start the 2023-24 season, and Payton Pritchard might be one of the names out the door.

The Athletic's Jay King and Jared Weiss reported Thursday the third-year point guard "has made it clear he hopes to be traded this summer."

Pritchard averaged 5.6 points and 1.3 assists in 13.4 minutes per game over his 48 appearances this season.

His usage fell further in the playoffs, when he only played in 10 of Boston's 20 games. His 33 total minutes in the Eastern Conference Finals were the fifth-fewest on the team.

Pritchard's wish for a change of scenery is understandable because it's tough to see how his role will grow in Boston anytime soon.

Marcus Smart is locked in as the starting point guard, and Malcolm Brogdon isn't going anywhere as the backup. It's the same story at the 2-guard, where Brogdon, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown split the bulk of the minutes.

Through his first three seasons, Pritchard is averaging 20.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and 5.4 assists per 100 possessions, according to Basketball Reference. He's also a 40 percent three-point shooter.

The 6'1" floor general could be a useful option to lead a second unit elsewhere.

King and Weiss laid out how whether Pritchard gets traded could hinge on how the Celtics attack the offseason. If Smart or Brogdon is dealt, then the front office may not want to sacrifice more backcourt depth.

Beyond what he brings on the court, Pritchard's $4 million salary is also hugely beneficial for a franchise that's projected to be $27.7 million over the salary cap, per Spotrac. By trading him, Boston might wind up replacing him with a more expensive veteran who isn't actually that much better.

A number of subplots will unfold for the Celtics over the coming months, and Pritchard's future will be one of them.