RealGM

When he first was drafted many people thought he didn't belong..

Even after showing great signs , some still said he was not an n b a player..

He patiently waited for his Opportunity.. He hinted that he may want to be traded because of how much he believes in himself .. He clearly didn't feel his opportunity would be too good in Boston.

The trading of Marcus Smart moved him one up In the rotation.. So his opportunity grew.. As a backup he finally achieved steady minutes.. And his overall play proved he deserved them... By season's ends and in just a few short games against clearly tanking opponents, He absolutely destroyed.. G league level opponents or not I struggle to think that all the starting NBA guards could just as easily put up those numbers..

At times he literally looks elite... I will first draw a comparison to Steve Nash.And how when Steve Nash first started playing, Showed no signs that he would one day be an all star let alone a two time m v p. But just like Payton Pritchard, Steve just needed a bigger chance and the ball and his hands to excel.

Then we have a potential top five MVP in Jalen Brunson.. JB came in the league as a Late draft pick but did show promise early on.. But after four years of playing in Dallas nobody thought he would be an All star... Let alone an MVP level player...

But his Arrival to the New York Knicks Increased his role especially Without having someone like Luka next to him. And now look at him..

If you want to include our very own Isaiah Thomas.. From last pick of the draft to part time back up to an MVP level player... Has to make you wonder where Payton Pritchard may be if his opportunity were ever the same as the others.
My opinion has always been high on PP.. Probably second to a former member known as BostoncouchGM. I always felt he had great scoring and shooting but ball needy players just held back due to playing a reserved role and having to watch the more established ball needy players get their chance.

His knock may have always been his defense. And at his size , he certainly has his challenges there. But if you put PP against all the other players in the league at his size, He is probably well above average In that regard.

But since he has been a binkie of mine, I admit to potential bias.

So i'm making a poll to see exactly what others think..

1 He's nothing more than a glorified Pro Am player.

2 He is a good regular season back up Point guard who will get exposed in the playoffs..

3 He would make for a decent starter if he ever received that opportunity..

4 He would excel on a star level like the others above if PP ever had the same opportunities..

5 It is not a fluke He is posting up ridiculous numbers even if it is against tanking teams.

6 not sure until the playoffs end.

Mods.. I attempted making this a poll but my six options did not go through cause it said I had too many. Yet it said I could make up to ten options..

He definitely has a ton of potential.

I had money on him being the MIP. Felt very bad the first half of the season but okay now. He won't win but he did improve quiet a lot. Other two I put money on were Green & Maxey.

I agree he's surprised and impressed me with his development. For now, he's up to #3 -- decent starter if he ever received that opportunity. Could upgrade 'decent' to something more flattering and I'd be fine with it -- but not ready to go with #4 'star level' yet.

PP reminds me of IT in Phoenix before trade to Boston. He is a couple years older so ceiling is lower than what IT became at age 25-26 here. I think he could be a 20 ppg player if he had the usage he has had the past couple of games. Not sure where that could happen though. I think he could be a 15 ppg guy for a couple of years as a starter in the right situation.

playa-hater wrote:

Spoiler:

When he first was drafted many people thought he didn't belong..

Even after showing great signs , some still said he was not an n b a player..

He patiently waited for his Opportunity.. He hinted that he may want to be traded because of how much he believes in himself .. He clearly didn't feel his opportunity would be too good in Boston.

The trading of Marcus Smart moved him one up In the rotation.. So his opportunity grew.. As a backup he finally achieved steady minutes.. And his overall play proved he deserved them... By season's ends and in just a few short games against clearly tanking opponents, He absolutely destroyed.. G league level opponents or not I struggle to think that all the starting NBA guards could just as easily put up those numbers..

At times he literally looks elite... I will first draw a comparison to Steve Nash.And how when Steve Nash first started playing, Showed no signs that he would one day be an all star let alone a two time m v p. But just like Payton Pritchard, Steve just needed a bigger chance and the ball and his hands to excel.

Then we have a potential top five MVP in Jalen Brunson.. JB came in the league as a Late draft pick but did show promise early on.. But after four years of playing in Dallas nobody thought he would be an All star... Let alone an MVP level player...

But his Arrival to the New York Knicks Increased his role especially Without having someone like Luka next to him. And now look at him..

If you want to include our very own Isaiah Thomas.. From last pick of the draft to part time back up to an MVP level player... Has to make you wonder where Payton Pritchard may be if his opportunity were ever the same as the others.
My opinion has always been high on PP.. Probably second to a former member known as BostoncouchGM. I always felt he had great scoring and shooting but ball needy players just held back due to playing a reserved role and having to watch the more established ball needy players get their chance.

His knock may have always been his defense. And at his size , he certainly has his challenges there. But if you put PP against all the other players in the league at his size, He is probably well above average In that regard.

But since he has been a binkie of mine, I admit to potential bias.

So i'm making a poll to see exactly what others think..

1 He's nothing more than a glorified Pro Am player.

2 He is a good regular season back up Point guard who will get exposed in the playoffs..

3 He would make for a decent starter if he ever received that opportunity..

4 He would excel on a star level like the others above if PP ever had the same opportunities..

5 It is not a fluke He is posting up ridiculous numbers even if it is against tanking teams.

6 not sure until the playoffs end.

Mods.. I attempted making this a poll but my six options did not go through cause it said I had too many. Yet it said I could make up to ten options..

I'll put the Poll up for you. (I think that it's the Line Spacing.)


For what it's worth, my vote is #3.
I think that Pritchard could be a decent Starter.

gonna eat crow and admit his ceiling is actually 2, good regular season backup.

This is a kid whose hands were bloody after he got up at 5 am every day to work on his handle. It shows. If it weren't for White and Holiday Pritchard would be a starter on a championship team.

Curmudgeon wrote:This is a kid whose hands were bloody after he got up at 5 am every day to work on his handle. It shows. If it weren't for White and Holiday Pritchard would be a starter on a championship team.

His hands are bloody because he needs to use his offhand to punch people out of the way to make driving space.

If all 82 NBA games were played in the last week of the season, Pritchard would be All-NBA. He's a top 15 scorer during the last week for a second consecutive season.

He's no Delon Wright, that's for sure.

I need something between 2 and 3. I started at 2, but no longer think he’ll get exposed in the playoffs. He’ll be a solid backup in the first few rounds and then have his time squeezed in later rounds like any backup. I’m also not ready to deem him a starter. Ceiling as a starter on a meh team, maybe.

another way to ask this question might be "does Pritchard become a starter when Jrue retires?"
C's just signed Holiday for the next 4 years, so his contract expires the same time Payton's does, but I can see it.

I don't think Jaylen will be a very good '2' at age 30+ (most players move up a position or two as they age rather than down), and I mean this might be Yam Madar's team by then, but if Payton still has his hustle/quickness/strength as he nears 30 himself -- I can see it. Even if the Cs are still winning titles behind the Jays, KP, and DW.

Could start, but not on a team with champion aspirations imo.

I think east coast PP > west coast PP

31to6 wrote:another way to ask this question might be "does Pritchard become a starter when Jrue retires?"

So much time between now and then.. One of them may be gone much sooner.. Trade etc....

Speaking of trades, good thing we didn't trade him for a second rounder or two like suggested last off season..

One of the better backup guards in the NBA, ceiling is like starter on a decentish team but unlikely to reach that ceiling

playa-hater wrote:

31to6 wrote:another way to ask this question might be "does Pritchard become a starter when Jrue retires?"

So much time between now and then.. One of them may be gone much sooner.. Trade etc....

Speaking of trades, good thing we didn't trade him for a second rounder or two like suggested last off season..

that was me! Already owned up to my mistake.

steefP2 wrote:One of the better backup guards in the NBA, ceiling is like starter on a decentish team but unlikely to reach that ceiling

They would have said the same about Steve Nash after is first few years in the league. Not saying Pritchard will ever be close to that, but it's really hard to predict with young guards.

Some of these comments would have BostoncoachGM In an uproar... Where is he when I need him..

Did he leave or was he banned??

Show your face this thread is for you.

KamikazeK wrote:Could start, but not on a team with champion aspirations imo.

Yeah, this is how I feel. I think this is his ceiling. A decent starter on a non championship squad. Or a quality backup on a championship squad.