Getty Malcolm Brogdon and Payton Pritchard of the Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics could be making some changes to their guard rotation this summer. NBA Insider Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report revealed on June 16 that they are taking calls on their top four guards.
“The Boston Celtics are fielding calls on the multitude of quality guards on their roster, sources tell B/R. With Marcus Smart, Derrick White, Malcolm Brogdon, and Payton Pritchard all deserving of playing time, Boston is looking to create some position balance,” Haynes wrote.
Pritchard may be the easiest to move since he is on the cheapest contract at $4 million this coming season compared to Smart, White, and Brogdon, who all make more than four times what Pritchard makes. He also is the most expendable since he was not consistently featured in the rotation this past season.
However, considering the league’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement that will take effect in 2025, the Celtics may put more of their focus on getting rid of one of their more expensive guards independent of what they decide to do with Pritchard.
Proposed Trade Swaps Malcolm Brogdon for Evan Fournier
If the Celtics are serious about making trades to cut long-term salary, Brian Robb of MassLive proposed a trade that would send Brogdon to the New York Knicks for a former Celtic in the hopes of saving money.
Robb proposed the following trade.
Celtics receive: Evan Fournier, draft asset
Knicks receive: Malcolm Brogdon
Robb explained how a trade like this could help the Celtics’ salary cap situation.
“This would be a move that would be more about setting up the team for the future (and CBA limitations) rather than the present. Fournier was a DNP-CD for much of last season with the Knicks after falling out of their rotation. However, his contract is cheaper than Brogdon’s by a few million dollars, and it’s an expiring deal, so it solves a long-term luxury tax crunch issue for Boston.”
Fournier has a team option for the 2024-25 season that probably would not get picked up were he to be acquired. Robb added what the Celtics could do whether Fournier works out in a potential second go-round with the team.
“Would Fournier be capable of a bounce-back season in Boston? If not, Boston could shop him with draft assets for a different fit.”
Suns Interested in Payton Pritchard
Among the possible trade options the Celtics could look into, Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer reported on June 9 that there are those in the Phoenix Suns organization who are fans of Payton Pritchard.
“Payton Pritchard, the former first-round pick who fell out of Boston’s rotation, has several supporters in Phoenix’s front office,” Fischer wrote on June 9.
The Suns don’t have many players outside of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Chris Paul, and DeAndre Ayton that would potentially interest the Celtics in a trade should they ask for Pritchard. However, Fischer added that Pritchard is likely to be featured in trade talks with him approaching the final year of his rookie contract.
“(He) is expected to feature prominently in the NBA’s general trade landscape this summer when Pritchard becomes extension eligible.”
