Payton Pritchard agrees two-year, USD 44.2 million extension with Celtics, report says
The 2024-25 Sixth Man of the Year is set to stay in Boston until the end of the decade, according to ESPN, after a career-best season and with a bigger role expected this term.
Payton Pritchard has agreed a two-year contract extension worth USD 44.2 million with the Boston Celtics, ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Tuesday, securing one of the league's most productive guards ahead of the new season.
According to ClutchPoints, the extension adds the 2028-29 and 2029-30 seasons to the 28-year-old's existing deal, with a mutual option on the final year. Boston.com, which also reported the agreement, described the extension as starting a season earlier, in 2027-28, so the exact structure should be treated as unconfirmed until the club releases details.
From bargain to bigger deal
Pritchard's current contract, a four-year, USD 30 million extension signed in October 2023, has been widely regarded as one of the best-value deals in the NBA. ClutchPoints reported that he is due to earn USD 7.8 million this season and USD 8.3 million in 2027-28.
His output has risen sharply since then. Pritchard was part of the Celtics team that won the 2024 championship and was named Sixth Man of the Year for the 2024-25 season. Last season he averaged career highs of 17.0 points, 5.2 assists and 3.9 rebounds, shooting 46.4 per cent from the field and 37.7 per cent from three-point range, and started 50 of his 79 appearances.
Boston.com noted that he is one of only four Celtics players to make at least 200 three-pointers in more than one season, alongside Jayson Tatum, Derrick White and Antoine Walker. He has also been notably durable, missing only a handful of games since 2023-24.
Background and significance
The Celtics won 56 games last season and finished second in the Eastern Conference, according to ClutchPoints, which also reported that Pritchard is expected to start alongside White in the backcourt this season. ClutchPoints said Boston had been keen to complete the deal before the regular season began.
Analysis: at roughly USD 22 million a year, the reported figure is a significant raise but still moderate by current standards for a guard of Pritchard's production. It gives Boston cost certainty for a player who has grown from a bench shooter into a central part of the rotation.
What happens next
No official Celtics statement on the extension had been published at the time of checking. The 2026-27 NBA regular season begins on Tuesday 20 October, US time, which is Wednesday 21 October in Singapore.
Sources
Boston.com, "Payton Pritchard reportedly signs 2-year contract extension with Celtics", 13 October 2026: https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-celtics/2026/10/13/payton-pritchard-contract-extension-nba-basketball-boston-celtics/
ClutchPoints, "Celtics news: Payton Pritchard agrees to 44 million dollar contract extension" (headline as published uses the dollar sign), 13 October 2026: https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/celtics-news-payton-pritchard-44-million-contract-extension
Olympics.com, NBA 2026/27 season guide (season start date of 20 October), October 2026: https://www.olympics.com/en/news/nba-2026-27-season-guide-start-date-watch