Payton Pritchard drafted #26 overall

BigSoxFan

Member
SoSH Member
May 31, 2007
47,083
The play he made to win the game is remarkable. That is NOT his play. He just saw the opportunity and went for it. I love that.
And it took a lot of skill to focus on the ball while also making sure he didn’t roll an ankle on the landing since Marcus had fallen to the ground.
 

Koufax

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
5,936
How on earth was he available at 26?
 
Last edited:

lovegtm

Member
SoSH Member
Apr 30, 2013
11,996
How on earth was he available at 28?
Check out the first page of this thread. Basically everyone (myself included) thought it was drafting for need/finished product at best, the worst pick of the draft at worst.
 
Last edited:

BaseballJones

ivanvamp
SoSH Member
Oct 1, 2015
24,369
I'd say a solid NBA starter, who grades out as an average (acceptable) defender, a good (not great) scorer, and a good facilitator. Maybe something along the lines of a 14-16 point, 6-8 assist per game kind of player that provides adequate defense. Not an all-star (I suppose in the right year he could sneak on the AS team), but a guy you're not at all ashamed to put in the starting lineup. Might have trouble with certain kinds of players, but doesn't almost everyone? Would not ever be expected to be The Man, but would be a really nice complement on a team with one or two stars.

Someone previously mentioned Mark Price as a potential comp if Pritchard reaches his ceiling. I don't know if them both being white was part of what drew the comparison, but when I look at Price's stats, I think this is pretty much what I see Pritchard's ceiling at.

Price's career #s: 15.2 points, 6.7 assists, .402 from three, .904 from the line

Now those are his career numbers, and I see them as roughly Pritchard's ceiling. Price's ceiling was better than this. His best year he put up 19.6 points, 9.1 assists, and shot .497 from the floor. I don't know that PP ever gets to that level, but the comp makes sense to me when thinking about Pritchard's potential.

Odds are that he won't reach that level though. At 22, he's already closer to a finished product than most players who enter the league. But I do expect him to improve still.
 

lovegtm

Member
SoSH Member
Apr 30, 2013
11,996
"Dragic who gets good earlier than his age 27 season" is actually a really interesting player.
 

Jimbodandy

Member
SoSH Member
Jan 31, 2006
11,403
around the way
I continue to see him ending up FVV. But after a few more games, I'm wondering if I'm underselling 8mile's passing. He might be FVV with another 2APG.
 

Jakarta

Member
SoSH Member
Dec 18, 2020
241
He reminds me of Kenny Anderson who had some big years as a Net. PP might be more likely to end up as the Celtics version of him.
 

Leon Trotsky

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 18, 2005
2,768
Boston, MA
I've thought he reminded me of a poor man's Dragic since the beginning. But maybe he can be actually be a middle-class man's Dragic?
 

HomeRunBaker

bet squelcher
SoSH Member
Jan 15, 2004
30,096
Someone previously mentioned Mark Price as a potential comp if Pritchard reaches his ceiling. I don't know if them both being white was part of what drew the comparison, but when I look at Price's stats, I think this is pretty much what I see Pritchard's ceiling at.

Price's career #s: 15.2 points, 6.7 assists, .402 from three, .904 from the line

Now those are his career numbers, and I see them as roughly Pritchard's ceiling. Price's ceiling was better than this. His best year he put up 19.6 points, 9.1 assists, and shot .497 from the floor. I don't know that PP ever gets to that level, but the comp makes sense to me when thinking about Pritchard's potential.
Price was a 1st Team All-NBA selection one year, made the team 3 other times and had his prime cut short by injury or he’d have made it several other years. I’m loving how Pritchard is adapting to the NBA game but geez guys lol.
 

BaseballJones

ivanvamp
SoSH Member
Oct 1, 2015
24,369
Price was a 1st Team All-NBA selection one year, made the team 3 other times and had his prime cut short by injury or he’d have made it several other years. I’m loving how Pritchard is adapting to the NBA game but geez guys lol.
If you look again you'll notice that I said that I think PP's upside is Price's career averages, not peak Price. I mean, I thought I was pretty clear there.
 

wade boggs chicken dinner

Member
SoSH Member
Mar 26, 2005
30,482
What is PP's ceiling? Green-edible-tinted optimistic answers only.
With greenest of green-tinted glasses, why couldn't he be a sane Kyrie Irving? Irving wins match-ups because he has a great handle, really good change-of-pace, and a really good jump shot to Force people to play him honest. That sounds familiar.
 

lovegtm

Member
SoSH Member
Apr 30, 2013
11,996
With greenest of green-tinted glasses, why couldn't he be a sane Kyrie Irving? Irving wins match-ups because he has a great handle, really good change-of-pace, and a really good jump shot to Force people to play him honest. That sounds familiar.
Kyrie is more athletic (not by a ton, but it matters), but I do think it's accurate to focus on how outlier good PP's handle is.
 

lovegtm

Member
SoSH Member
Apr 30, 2013
11,996

benhogan

Granite Truther
SoSH Member
Nov 2, 2007
20,111
Santa Monica
Brad needs to play PP for more than 23minutes with Kemba out. Take the training wheels off.

His handle is insane, love how he never picks up the dribble. Acts like he owns the halfcourt, always a threat around the hoop to score, tons of moxie (similar to Herro last season)

When is the last time the C's drafted an ex-lottery 1st rounder that played like this over their first 10 games?
 

TripleOT

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 4, 2007
7,758
When is the last time the C's drafted an ex-lottery 1st rounder that played like this over their first 10 games?
Although the Celtics technically didn’t draft him, Rajon Rondo in 07. A little less scoring but more assisting. A definite “I belong” feel to his game.
 

Cesar Crespo

79
SoSH Member
Dec 22, 2002
21,588
Brad needs to play PP for more than 23minutes with Kemba out. Take the training wheels off.

His handle is insane, love how he never picks up the dribble. Acts like he owns the halfcourt, always a threat around the hoop to score, tons of moxie (similar to Herro last season)

When is the last time the C's drafted an ex-lottery 1st rounder that played like this over their first 10 games?

1995-96.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/willier01.html
 

Cesar Crespo

79
SoSH Member
Dec 22, 2002
21,588
Although the Celtics technically didn’t draft him, Rajon Rondo in 07. A little less scoring but more assisting. A definite “I belong” feel to his game.
5.4 points, 3.6 assists on .364 shooting in 21.9 minutes thru his first 10. I thought of him but I think PP was quite better through 10.
 

lovegtm

Member
SoSH Member
Apr 30, 2013
11,996
I know he’s old, but if you look at his high-end comps (Van Vleet, Dragic, maybe Nash if you squint)...they all started as 22 year olds, were meh earlier, and kept improving into their late 20s.

I don’t see much reason at all that PP’s age should put a cap on his ceiling.
 

Devizier

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 3, 2000
19,463
Somewhere
Physically the Van Vleet comparison is the one that sticks. PP strikes me as a big/strong guard and that’s not how I remember a lot of the other guys who have been thrown out as comps.
 

HomeRunBaker

bet squelcher
SoSH Member
Jan 15, 2004
30,096
PP reminds me of Patty Mills. SA's bench sparkplug
PP is the first player in the history of the world to be compared to both Kyrie and Patty. He’s taking on an identity that not even he could have imagined.

I agree with the Patty comp from a production view. PP is the more well rounded player while Patty was more of a specialist.
 
Last edited:

Kliq

Member
SoSH Member
Mar 31, 2013
22,667
I think prime Jeff Teague I'd actually a decent comp for PP.
 

the moops

Member
SoSH Member
Jan 19, 2016
4,700
Saint Paul, MN
PP is the first player in the history of the world to be compared to both Kyrie and Patty. He’s taking on an identity that not even he could have imagined.

I agree with the Patty comp from a production view. PP is the more well rounded player while Patty was more of a specialist.
This.
Kyrie Irving is a ridiculous comparison
 

PC Drunken Friar

Member
SoSH Member
Sep 12, 2003
14,539
South Boston
High end? What about a Tim Hardaway or a smaller Mitch Rixhmond or Michael Redd? But making any All-NBA teams (let alone multiple) seems like a dream case scenario.

I'll settle (as in realistic best case) for Terry Porter or a non-coked up Eddie Johnson.
 

Cesar Crespo

79
SoSH Member
Dec 22, 2002
21,588
I could see him putting up box score stats like Darren Collison but he's not really anything like Darren Collison.