Selected 26th overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, guard Payton Pritchard has evolved from a modestly projected role player to a vital contributor for the Boston Celtics. This week, Pritchard secured a two-year, $44.2 million contract extension set to begin with the 2028-29 season, underscoring his rising importance to the team.
Celtics assistant coach-turned-Hornets head coach Charles Lee, who faced Pritchard’s Celtics in a recent preseason game at TD Garden, highlighted that Pritchard’s primary motivation lies beyond financial rewards. “You can probably take the money out of it,” Lee said. “He just loves to hoop. And so every day to be able to lace it up, to compete, he finds great joy in that.” Lee described Pritchard as relentlessly passionate, recalling his dedication to practice routines, including ballhandling drills done barefoot on the side of the court.
Pritchard’s path with Boston has not been without challenges. In his third NBA season, reduced playing time prompted Pritchard to request a trade and openly express frustration with the Celtics’ decision to retain him. Despite this, he maintained his professionalism and focus, eventually embracing an expanded role. His efforts culminated in being named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year for the 2024-25 season. Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla attributes Pritchard’s success to his competitive drive paired with humility. “He just plays with a chip on his shoulder, but doesn’t have an ego,” Mazzulla said. “He’s smart enough and egoless enough, but competitive enough to know that coming off the bench might give us the best chance to win.”
In Charlotte, Hornets coach Charles Lee is entering his third season after guiding the team to a 44-38 record last year—a 25-game improvement over the prior campaign—and finishing fourth in Coach of the Year voting. His impact has been noted by Mazzulla, who himself received the award recently. “I think he’s a hell of a coach,” Mazzulla said. He praised the Hornets’ well-rounded approach, highlighting their effective off-ball movement, versatile personnel, and physical defense as reflections of Lee’s strong coaching and staff.
Another notable figure with ties to Boston now contributing in Charlotte is former Celtics star Kemba Walker, who is in his third year as a player development coach for the Hornets. Lee remarked that Walker has grown into his role, increasingly vocal and effective in communicating his experiences with players. “He’s easily able to talk to guys about his experience and how the season’s a journey and a long grind and how to stay ready and how to work hard,” Lee said. He added that Walker is developing his coaching style through creative practice drills and seems to embrace these challenges with enthusiasm.
Last season, Pritchard achieved career highs with averages of 17.0 points, 5.2 assists, and 32.4 minutes per game, solidifying his status as a key figure in the Celtics’ rotation moving forward.