The Celtics need Payton Pritchard more than you think

With the trade for Malcolm Brogdon, the Boston Celtics formed one of the most talented bullpen of guards in the NBA. Behind Jaylen Brown, they have an elite group of four guards ready to step in at either backcourt position – Brogdon, Marcus Smart, and Derrick White.

And Payton Pritchard.

Most fans might assume that Pritchard will default to the back end of the rotation, as the Celtics have invested a lot of assets into acquiring White and Brogdon. However, Pritchard worked his way into the rotation last year after months of proving himself. By the end of the year, Udoka was using Pritchard as a sparkplug scorer off the bench.

In the last month of the regular season, Pritchard played nearly 20 minutes per game. This didn’t come close to Smart’s 30 or White’s 29, but it was a huge step up from what he was playing at the start of the year.

While Smart, Brogdon, and White are all great defenders who fit in perfectly with Udoka’s switching scheme, none are consistent three-point shooters. In fact, while most fans criticize Smart for his lackluster shooting from distance, he actually shot better than Brogdon last year from range. Smart shot 33.1% on 5.1 attempts per game, while Brogdon shot 31.2% on 5.2 attempts per game.

Both Brogdon and White have been able to put up above-average three-point numbers in the past, but neither come close to what Pritchard brings to the table. Throughout his two years in the league, Pritchard has shot an impressive 41.2% from distance on 3.6 shots per game. That ranks third in team history behind Marcus Thornton and Eddie House (based on an admittedly small sample size).

If anything, Pritchard might actually see a bump in minutes heading into next season. Sure, the guard spot is extremely crowded, but the Celtics lack wings. At 6’4 and 6’5, respectively, White and Brogdon might be asked to play up a position more than normal. Even Smart, who stands at 6’3, could potentially play up in some small-ball lineups. They’re all good enough defenders to handle the role, and considering Grant Williams is the only wing on the team behind Jayson Tatum and Brown, they may be forced to.

This leaves more opportunities for Pritchard. While he’ll earn minutes because of his lights-out shooting and unwavering confidence, his defense has actually been…