6′1″ Star Payton Pritchard Signs Multi-Year Extension With Celtics

The Boston Celtics are making sure Payton Pritchard remains part of their future. The team has agreed to a two-year, $44.2 million contract extension with the 28-year-old guard. This gives the franchise stability while they are successful in retaining the core piece.

“Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard has agreed to a two-year, $44.2 million contract extension, plus a mutual option in the 2029-30 season, CAA Co-Head of Basketball Austin Brown and agent Max Saidman,” ESPN’s Shams Charania reported.

“Pritchard — the 2024 NBA champion and 2025 Sixth Man of the Year — cashes in on a fully guaranteed two-year max extension to keep him a key long-term member of the retooled Celtics after the 6-1 guard averaged career highs in points (17), assists (5.2) and rebounds (3.9).”

Payton Pritchard has come a long way since Boston selected him 26th overall in the 2020 NBA Draft. He started as a reserve searching for consistent minutes. Now, he is an NBA champion, a Sixth Man of the Year winner, and a proven offensive threat capable of handling a larger role. The extension reflects that progress.

The agreement adds two seasons to the 6’1″ guard’s existing contract, keeping him under team control through at least the 2028-29 campaign. The financial commitment represents a major reward. At roughly $22 million per season, Pritchard will earn a significant salary increase. However, Boston is paying for more than his recent scoring numbers.

With two years and $16.1 million left on his current contract, Payton Pritchard still had some time before reaching free agency. He could have waited until next summer to pursue a four-year deal worth as much as $100 million. Instead, the Boston Celtics guard chose security, accepting a fully guaranteed year that represents a 140% raise over the league-average salary projected for 2029. The decision makes financial sense, too.

Both years of the deal will account for less than 12% of the salary cap, giving Boston some flexibility while rewarding Pritchard for his growing importance to the team. Cap Analyst Bobby Marks detailed a breakdown of this new contract.

The Celtics star’s current deal pays him $7.8 million in 2026-27 and $8.3 million in 2027-28. His new extension will kick in the following season, with a salary of $21.2 million in 2028-29. The second year carries a mutual option worth $22.9 million for 2029-30.

The first year of the extension represents the maximum raise allowed under the rules, set at 140% of the average player salary. Payton Pritchard won’t have to wait until the deal expires to negotiate again, either. He becomes eligible to sign another extension in October 2028. That value could become even more apparent this season.

Payton Pritchard finished second on the Celtics in scoring average last year before Jayson Tatum’s return. With Jaylen Brown’s departure, he now faces an even bigger responsibility in helping replace the team’s lost scoring production.

The Celtics star also celebrated the new deal on Instagram, writing, “Imagine if I listened to the people who said I couldn’t.” His post drew supportive reactions from some of his teammates.

Mitchell Robinson commented, “Prove yourself right brother ,” while Tatum celebrated the payday with “Bag .”

Payton Pritchard’s path in Boston has not always been straightforward. Despite showing flashes of his scoring ability early in his career, he struggled to secure a consistent role. He became a dependable contributor during the Celtics’ championship run in 2024, appearing in all 82 regular-season games and providing a scoring spark off the bench. Then came the Sixth Man of the Year campaign, where he averaged 14.3 points per game in 2024-25.

His latest campaign brought another leap. Pritchard averaged 17 points, 5.2 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game while taking on more responsibility. Those numbers reflected his development into a more complete offensive player who could score, create shots for teammates, and help run the offense. That growth made a new contract increasingly difficult for Boston to ignore.

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