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  1. <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
  2. <feed xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xml:lang="en">
  3.  <title>CelticsBlog -  All Posts</title>
  4.  <subtitle>A Boston Celtics Blog: 17 Banners and Counting</subtitle>
  5.  <icon>https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48431/celtic-small-1.png</icon>
  6.  <updated>2025-06-05T10:00:00-04:00</updated>
  7.  <id>http://www.celticsblog.com/rss/current/</id>
  8.  <link type="text/html" href="https://www.celticsblog.com/" rel="alternate"/>
  9.  <entry>
  10.    <published>2025-06-05T10:00:00-04:00</published>
  11.    <updated>2025-06-05T10:00:00-04:00</updated>
  12.    <title>Should the Celtics consider trading Jaylen Brown? (Staff Roundtable)</title>
  13.    <content type="html">  
  14.  
  15.    &lt;figure&gt;
  16.      &lt;img alt="Boston Celtics v New York Knicks - Game Six" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/06hKRSfAdnYmHW2IDxUu_Q6ycJk=/0x0:4263x2842/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/74118683/2215498044.0.jpg" /&gt;
  17.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  18.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  19.  
  20.  &lt;p&gt;The CBA was designed to break up teams like the Celtics, but how far will they have to go?&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="NMl8ty"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If it proves more difficult than expected to shed salaries like Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, etc., would you consider moving Jaylen Brown for picks, young talent, and cap space? &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  21. &lt;p id="vhPc8x"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mark Aboyoun&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  22. &lt;p id="9o3LIG"&gt;Although I don’t think Jaylen Brown is untouchable, I don’t think he will be moved this year. When you construct a team like how the &lt;a href="https://www.celticsblog.com"&gt;Celtics&lt;/a&gt; have and knowing the inevitable consequences, I think you get rid of the likes of Holiday and Porzingis even if you’re on the losing end of the deals. Even if Brown was dealt, I’m not sure the return will be enough to keep Boston at the top with an injury prone Porzingis and an aging Holiday who dipped last year in regards to his performance and shooting percentage.&lt;/p&gt;
  23. &lt;p id="9dmXIg"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ian Inangelo&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  24. &lt;p id="9fcicj"&gt;Jaylen Brown feels like the most untouchable player out of the core that could be on the move but I feel like Brad Stevens wouldn’t be doing his job if he didn’t at least see what is possibly out there. I feel like it’s a long shot but if a Giannis to the Celtics trade develops somehow, I feel like that’s the only way Brown gets traded from Boston unless the Mavericks want to trade the number 1 pick.&lt;/p&gt;
  25. &lt;p id="h4Hiiv"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Steve Hooper&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  26. &lt;p id="KAOCbo"&gt;I don’t think Brad and the front office move Jaylen this summer. A year removed from an &lt;a href="https://www.sbnation.com/nba-finals"&gt;NBA Finals&lt;/a&gt; MVP, he is too valuable to the franchise alongside Jayson. The offer would truly need to be amazing and blow Brad’s socks off. The Celtics would want to at least take back an All- Star level young player and I can’t see that happening.&lt;/p&gt;
  27. &lt;p id="QYXFXb"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mike Dynon&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  28. &lt;p id="3sDJ8Y"&gt;The NBA at one time set up a system where if a player like Jaylen Brown made an all-NBA team, he’d be guaranteed an even more ginormous next contract than he was already going to receive. Brown achieved that in 2023 – and soon afterwards the NBA decided to punish teams that have essentially “too many” big contracts. Somehow, the players union agreed to this. And because timing is everything, just when Boston got good enough to win it all, the “second apron” was invented. For a team called the Celtics, they certainly don’t have much luck of the Irish.&lt;/p&gt;
  29. &lt;p id="MXpy3C"&gt;I don’t think JB will be traded, but if he is then I hope it’s done as a last resort for a huge haul at the trade deadline. And even then it would completely suck. With Jayson Tatum injured, Brown has to be the face of the team, the leader, a task he’s proved he can handle (see the 2024 postseason). Moreover, he wants to be a Celtic for life, a Bostonian forever, and he’s earned that opportunity. Yes, that’s a sentimental view, which Brad Stevens will no doubt ignore (as he should) and do what he believes is best for the franchise. However, if Jaylen Brown must be dealt because of the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement, it will be a dark day in Celtics history.&lt;/p&gt;
  30. &lt;p id="fqNLl0"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Jake Issenberg&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  31. &lt;p id="FmijdL"&gt;I would only move Jaylen Brown if there is a mandate from ownership to get below the second apron and shed salary. Even if you get a haul of young players and picks, the chances are none of those assets turn into a player as good as Jaylen Brown. I understand the challenges of filling out depth around the two supermax contracts of Jaylen and Jayson. But due to the Jays immense versatility, building out depth is easier than with other stars. When your two best players can defend several positions, and be effective on and off the ball, it makes Brad Stevens’ job easier. Not to mention Jaylen’s standing as a Celtics legend. I would only want to move Jaylen as a part of a true superstar deal.&lt;/p&gt;
  32. &lt;p id="wDFTCG"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Jeff Clark&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  33. &lt;p id="Zfb2cu"&gt;Like everyone above said, I don’t ultimately think that Jaylen Brown should be traded and I don’t want him to be. The only case for it is if the team simply cannot put together a workable product on the floor around two massive salaries with Tatum and Brown taking up so much of the cap. If their destiny is to become like the Suns this past year, then I can see a case for breaking it up. Some might argue that it would make more sense to move Jaylen next summer after you’ve tried everything else. I would push back and say that I’d rather move one year too early than one year too late (injury risk and all that). This is the summer where it seems like a lot of teams are ready to make franchise altering deals.&lt;/p&gt;
  34. &lt;p id="9b5rym"&gt;It would take a lot, but I wouldn’t rule it out.&lt;/p&gt;
  35.  
  36. </content>
  37.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/6/5/24441027/should-the-boston-celtics-consider-trading-jaylen-brown-nba-rumors"/>
  38.    <id>https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/6/5/24441027/should-the-boston-celtics-consider-trading-jaylen-brown-nba-rumors</id>
  39.    <author>
  40.      <name>Jeff Clark</name>
  41.      <name>CelticsBlog Staff</name>
  42.    </author>
  43.  </entry>
  44.  <entry>
  45.    <published>2025-06-05T05:30:47-04:00</published>
  46.    <updated>2025-06-05T05:30:47-04:00</updated>
  47.    <title>Who is getting traded? Celtics Reacts survey</title>
  48.    <content type="html">  
  49.  
  50.    &lt;figure&gt;
  51.      &lt;img alt="NBA: Playoffs-Boston Celtics at New York Knicks" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ahBpmuQQEF2_TkG0orxUNIV3UwM=/0x0:3753x2502/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/74118329/usa_today_26162454.0.jpg" /&gt;
  52.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  53.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  54.  
  55.  &lt;p&gt;The Boston Celtics are most likely trading someone. Who will it be?&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="1072Vt"&gt;&lt;em&gt;Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in &lt;/em&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.celticsblog.com"&gt;&lt;em&gt;Boston Celtics&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt; fans and fans across the country. &lt;/em&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/8SCRL8/"&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sign up here&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt; to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  56. &lt;p id="yectWn"&gt;As you may have heard or read the Boston Celtics are most likely going to make at least one significant trade this off-season in order to reset their salary books.&lt;/p&gt;
  57. &lt;p id="DzoaMM"&gt;The question is, which of their key rotation players is the most likely to be headed out of town this summer  &lt;/p&gt;
  58. &lt;p id="Xnnkjs"&gt;There are arguments to be made for each of the following names and it could end up being multiple players being traded, depending on what the Celtics can get back in return and what their future plans are.&lt;/p&gt;
  59. &lt;p id="Z9JpmS"&gt;But let’s just start with who the most likely player is and go from there. You are welcome to weigh in on the comments section on who you would prefer to be traded.&lt;/p&gt;
  60. &lt;div id="fbeRH4"&gt;&lt;iframe id="ss-embed-frame" onload="window.parent.parent.scrollTo(0,0)" src="https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/0XS8VL/" style="width:100%;height:400px;border:0px;padding-bottom:4px;" frameborder="0"&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/0XS8VL/"&gt;Please take our survey&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  61.  
  62. </content>
  63.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/6/5/24442421/who-is-getting-traded-boston-celtics-reacts-survey-nba-rumors"/>
  64.    <id>https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/6/5/24442421/who-is-getting-traded-boston-celtics-reacts-survey-nba-rumors</id>
  65.    <author>
  66.      <name>Jeff Clark</name>
  67.    </author>
  68.  </entry>
  69.  <entry>
  70.    <published>2025-06-04T10:00:00-04:00</published>
  71.    <updated>2025-06-04T10:00:00-04:00</updated>
  72.    <title>Lessons the Celtics can learn from these playoffs (Staff Roundtable)</title>
  73.    <content type="html">  
  74.  
  75.    &lt;figure&gt;
  76.      &lt;img alt="Indiana Pacers v New York Knicks - Game Five" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Z4qP5bEvdvczKoK2xeE-cDWlHUw=/0x0:3632x2421/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/74116741/2217739511.0.jpg" /&gt;
  77.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  78.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  79.  
  80.  &lt;p&gt;The Pacers and Thunder can teach the Celtics a few lessons that they could take back to the lab for future use&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="IMOfK1"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What have you learned from the playoffs this year that could inform the &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.celticsblog.com"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Celtics&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt; offseason decisions?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  81. &lt;p id="L3pVoC"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mark Aboyoun&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  82. &lt;p id="vomZXv"&gt;One thing the &lt;a href="https://www.sbnation.com/nba-playoffs"&gt;NBA playoffs&lt;/a&gt; reminded me of is that there are no easy games — no matter the matchup. A lot of fans preferred a series against the &lt;a href="https://www.postingandtoasting.com"&gt;Knicks&lt;/a&gt; because Boston swept them in the regular season, but the playoffs are a different beast. If the Celtics hadn’t let Game 1 and Game 2 slip away, the outcome might have been very different.&lt;/p&gt;
  83. &lt;p id="sduFTQ"&gt;What stood out throughout the playoffs is that every team is capable of coming back from a deficit. That makes it even more important to stay aggressive when you have a lead. Looking back, I didn’t mind Boston settling for threes early in the series against New York because most of them were quality looks — they just didn’t fall. Still, a takeaway for the Celtics this offseason should be maintain offensive pressure when ahead, not just coasting or relying on threes.&lt;/p&gt;
  84. &lt;p id="7eHflE"&gt;One way to do that could be adding more bench scoring. Finding someone who can play alongside Payton Pritchard and bring an attacking mindset off the bench could help keep momentum going, especially in those moments when the starters are on the bench resting. It’s about making sure the offense doesn’t stall — even with a lead.&lt;/p&gt;
  85. &lt;p id="dtF6is"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ian Inangelo&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  86. &lt;p id="HfqByG"&gt;What I learned from the playoffs this year is that building a culture with a core group of players is the most important aspect of being a championship caliber team. Look at the Pacers and Thunder. Last season both lost in the playoffs but with minor tweaks around an established young core they ran it back and won a championship.&lt;/p&gt;
  87. &lt;p id="7KUwsO"&gt;I’m not saying trading for the super stars isn’t a good idea for a franchise but establishing chemistry and culture within an organization is an important factor in winning. Looking at a team like the Suns for example who had a young core make the finals but wanted more so they traded for KD and Beal and abandoning the chemistry they built. Now they’re in purgatory.&lt;/p&gt;
  88. &lt;p id="ZLe6Fe"&gt;Patience is key and teams shouldn’t be so quick to pull the trigger on a star player that might look good on paper. Build from within and you will find success&lt;/p&gt;
  89. &lt;p id="9Uc2Bt"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mike Dynon&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  90. &lt;p id="W8SCA7"&gt;What I hope the Celtics learned is that no lead is big enough and they need to stay aggressive and move the ball for 48 minutes. Not 36, not 42, all 48. They lost the Knicks series because they stopped doing what worked and blew 20-point leads two straight games. Both times, the Knicks were the aggressors and the Celtics failed to match that energy. In the fourth quarter of Game 1, Boston shot 4-21 (2-15 threes) and had just 2 assists for 16 points. We told ourselves that would not happen again, but Game 2 was more of the same: 5-24 (2-11) with 2 assists, 17 points.&lt;/p&gt;
  91. &lt;p id="wGaWhw"&gt;In this three-point dominant era, you can no longer just run out the clock, yet the Celtics habitually slow themselves down, with Tatum or Brown dribbling in place and no one moving. Or they try to speed up and take a three after one pass or none at all. When the opponent has all the momentum and you have none, your threes just don’t fall, and the pressure increases. We see it all the time in the NBA, and that’s what happened here.&lt;/p&gt;
  92. &lt;p id="r4MYK6"&gt;Contrast that to the Pacers’ fourth quarter of Game 6 versus the Knicks. They kept up the same pace that had given them the lead, attacked the paint and kicked to open shooters at the arc, or got middle-of-the-lane floaters from Haliburton. Their fourth quarter numbers: 13-20 (2-5), 7 assists, 33 points. Indiana was never in danger of losing their lead. The Celtics need to engrain that mentality into their system, and beef up the bench with players who have that mindset.&lt;/p&gt;
  93. &lt;p id="IJtQyv"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Jake Issenberg&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  94. &lt;p id="f39noQ"&gt;My big takeaway from these year’s playoffs is that I think the Celtics leaned too much into variance this season. They upped their three point rate, and were one of the slowest teams in the league. There were obvious health issues with Porzingis and Jaylen that were the biggest factors in the Knicks loss. But the Celtics should still have won the series. I would implore Joe Mazzulla to focus on increasing the pace and randomness of the future Celtics offense. If they can become 11% more like the Pacers on offense it would benefit them greatly. More possessions equals less variance. &lt;/p&gt;
  95. &lt;p id="i2KO4Q"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Jeff Clark&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  96. &lt;p id="299KDc"&gt;The Pacers proved that you can win with a high-paced, random offense, even in the playoffs where traditionally the pace has always slowed. The Celtics didn’t necessarily have the personnel to continually push the pace like Haliburton does, but Boston could have and should have played with more movement to bend the defense more. I know they were focused on mismatch hunting, but there are more ways to attack those mismatches than pure isolation. Jayson Tatum may always be a more deliberate player, and he’s proven he can thrive with that style, but I think as Brad Stevens reshapes his roster, he might want to target players that thrive in a more movement based offense. Likewise, I think Joe Mazzulla should focus on emphasizing those movement looks more when the offense gets stagnant. Next year will be a good time to experiment and tinker. What they were doing clearly worked last year, but the game evolves and you have to keep adapting too.&lt;/p&gt;
  97.  
  98. </content>
  99.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/6/4/24441022/lessons-the-boston-celtics-can-learn-from-these-nba-playoffs-staff-roundtable"/>
  100.    <id>https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/6/4/24441022/lessons-the-boston-celtics-can-learn-from-these-nba-playoffs-staff-roundtable</id>
  101.    <author>
  102.      <name>Jeff Clark</name>
  103.      <name>CelticsBlog Staff</name>
  104.    </author>
  105.  </entry>
  106.  <entry>
  107.    <published>2025-06-04T08:00:00-04:00</published>
  108.    <updated>2025-06-04T08:00:00-04:00</updated>
  109.    <title>CelticsBlog exit interview: Jordan Walsh</title>
  110.    <content type="html">  
  111.  
  112.    &lt;figure&gt;
  113.      &lt;img alt="New York Knicks v Boston Celtics - Game Five" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/hOU3wdRqbtrz_DklNF9MePnL7yE=/0x0:7858x5239/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/74116537/2215143149.0.jpg" /&gt;
  114.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  115.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  116.  
  117.  &lt;p&gt;It was an up and down season for Boston’s youngest player.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="2wR67S"&gt;Many fans and pundits raised an eyebrow last June when the &lt;a href="https://www.celticsblog.com"&gt;Boston Celtics&lt;/a&gt; front office selected Baylor Scheierman with the 30th pick. The move had fans wondering if that would have an impact on Jordan Walsh, whom they acquired via a trade on draft night a year prior, presumably as a wing project for the future. Drafting the former Creighton product certainly seemed like a floor spacing bench upgrade for the world champions, or maybe even a Sam Hauser insurance policy.&lt;/p&gt;
  118. &lt;p id="F9TzIv"&gt;Either way, Jordan Walsh had a less than stellar second season in the NBA. Playing in just 52 games on the year with many DNP’s recorded. Walsh shot just 27 percent from the three-point line, averaging 1.6 points and 1.3 rebounds in just eight minutes a night. Walsh did shoot slightly better in his rookie campaign, but that was only in nine appearances, as he was in and out of the team during a 27-game season for the Maine Celtics.&lt;/p&gt;
  119. &lt;p id="lNWofr"&gt;Walsh showed the coaching staff the development required in his rookie campaign to make the leap to the Boston bench. Walsh only suited up for just a single game for the Maine Celtics during the 2024-25 season, where he looked extremely comfortable, logging 20 points on December 8, 2024.&lt;/p&gt;
  120. &lt;p id="IVxdMk"&gt;Jordan had his longest period of consistent playing time in the NBA through November, December, and January. The 6-7 small forward was part of the Stay Ready crew, seeing mainly garbage time minutes and the occasional meaningful stint of play. &lt;/p&gt;
  121. &lt;p id="ZpfqTE"&gt;Walsh’s best game of the season came against Toronto in a blowout victory on New Year’s Day. Walsh played 12 minutes and logged 10 points on 4-6 shooting and registered 2 assists.&lt;/p&gt;
  122. &lt;figure class="e-image"&gt;
  123.        &lt;img alt="NBA: Boston Celtics at Orlando Magic" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/dsvzVijww5Z3XFU16Hx4g8aMEe0=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26007450/usa_today_25889127.jpg"&gt;
  124.      &lt;cite&gt;Mike Watters-Imagn Images&lt;/cite&gt;
  125.  &lt;/figure&gt;
  126. &lt;p id="arcLBw"&gt;Brad Stevens clearly liked what he saw from Jordan when he traded back multiple times and drafted him: the defensive intangibles and the long, athletic frame. However, his offensive game at this point in time is not up to the level of his older teammate, Baylor Scheierman. The rookie appears to have more polish when it comes to passing as a former QB; he also displays a rebounding tenacity, and late in the season his shot-making had come around. By March 2025, rookie Baylor Scheierman had permanently replaced Walsh in the extended rotation as the season came to an end.&lt;/p&gt;
  127. &lt;p id="G9BDcI"&gt;The February signing of veteran Torrey Craig also signaled that Brad Stevens and the front office thought wing depth was still an issue and didn’t fully trust Jordan Walsh to step up late in the season and in the playoffs. Jordan Walsh has one year of guaranteed money remaining on his rookie deal before a team option kicks in for the 2026-27 season.&lt;/p&gt;
  128. &lt;p id="bYRmMJ"&gt;Walsh is still just 21 years old. He clearly needs to bulk up this off season and work on his shooting and decision-making on both ends of the floor. Walsh should look to learn from a player like Derrick White, who transformed his shooting game once he came to Boston. White’s extremely quick trigger from long range and decision-making make him an invaluable teammate and superb role player in the league.&lt;/p&gt;
  129. &lt;p id="ecscKP"&gt;With an uncertain offseason fast approaching for the C’s, Walsh could either be dealt in a salary-matching trade or, more than likely, stick around on the team as a cheap, cost-controlled rookie-scale contract. As Brad Stevens reiterated last week, all cards appear to be on the table for the &lt;a href="https://www.sbnation.com/nba-draft"&gt;NBA Draft&lt;/a&gt; and beyond. It’s not out of the question that Boston is heading toward a summer shakeup. Boston has given up on young players before — most notably Aaron Nesmith who was traded to Indiana and has developed into a solid rotation player.&lt;/p&gt;
  130. &lt;p id="THuGtZ"&gt;Jordan Walsh, at this point in his development, is a third string wing player; if he stays in Boston, he will likely return to Las Vegas once again to compete in the &lt;a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba-summer-league"&gt;NBA Summer League&lt;/a&gt; in July. If he doesn’t show dramatic improvements and an ability to dominate in that competition, fans might start to have serious cause for concern over Jordan Walsh’s fit long-term.&lt;/p&gt;
  131.  
  132. </content>
  133.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/6/4/24436638/celticsblog-exit-interview-jordan-walsh"/>
  134.    <id>https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/6/4/24436638/celticsblog-exit-interview-jordan-walsh</id>
  135.    <author>
  136.      <name>Bird Rights</name>
  137.    </author>
  138.  </entry>
  139.  <entry>
  140.    <published>2025-06-03T10:00:00-04:00</published>
  141.    <updated>2025-06-03T10:00:00-04:00</updated>
  142.    <title>Deal or No Deal: Kristaps Porzingis </title>
  143.    <content type="html">  
  144.  
  145.    &lt;figure&gt;
  146.      &lt;img alt="‘We didn’t want to go out like that’: With season on the line and their superstar sidelined, Celtics dig deep and demolish Knicks" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ubAXx1kEvsLQRxQlFLbPHPLQ-Bs=/0x0:2537x1691/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/74114785/2214592613.0.jpg" /&gt;
  147.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  148.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  149.  
  150.  &lt;p&gt;Should the Celtics keep their cheat code?&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="jiDK5x"&gt;Welcome back to the Deal or No Deal series where we break down if the &lt;a href="https://www.celticsblog.com"&gt;Celtics&lt;/a&gt; should bring back a certain player for the 2025-26 NBA season. If a player is under “Deal” then the player should not be brought back. If “No Deal” then the player should be brought back.&lt;/p&gt;
  151. &lt;p id="8dtKDB"&gt;The next player is Kristaps Porzingis. In 42 games this season, Porzingis put up 19.5 PPG, 6.8 REB, and 2.1 AST on 48% shooting from the field, 41% from three, and 81% from the free throw line. &lt;/p&gt;
  152. &lt;p id="fKLdp7"&gt;Coming off the Celtics championship run where he only played in seven playoff games due to injuries, Porzingis was set to miss the start of the 2025 season recovering from the injury he sustained in the &lt;a href="https://www.sbnation.com/nba-finals"&gt;NBA Finals&lt;/a&gt;. When he did come back on November 25th against the Clippers, everyone was excited to see how Boston would look again as a fully functioning unit. &lt;/p&gt;
  153. &lt;p id="S8LtlT"&gt;This unit did not last long. Porzingis would be ruled out with an illness on February 28th that would result in him missing the next seven games in March. We later learned that this viral illness and the post viral syndrome that followed would affect his play to a point that he couldn’t be on the court for more than two minutes without struggling to breathe in the Celtics second round playoff series against the &lt;a href="https://www.postingandtoasting.com"&gt;New York Knicks&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;
  154. &lt;div id="AdBbsn"&gt;&lt;div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"&gt;&lt;iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mlENsrkgU6w?rel=0" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="accelerometer *; clipboard-write *; encrypted-media *; gyroscope *; picture-in-picture *; web-share *;"&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  155. &lt;p id="j4BjT0"&gt;Kristaps Porzingis is a very contentious topic when it comes to Celtics fans depending on who you ask but most people will tell you this season was disappointing to say the least. The lack of impact on the court in the playoffs started to turn people sour, but no one was more frustrated with his play than Kristaps himself. &lt;/p&gt;
  156. &lt;p id="XRk2tQ"&gt;In his exit interview following the Celtics loss in Game 6, Porzingis was asked how difficult the last few months have been for him. He said, “As frustrating as you can imagine. Just to not be able to help this team more. Especially with JT going out, just not being too much of a help just hurts deep inside.”&lt;/p&gt;
  157. &lt;p id="VS5SVW"&gt;In Brad Stevens’ end of season interview he echoed a similar statement when asked about Porzingis’ illness, saying, “I don’t think anybody was more frustrated than him... I thought he had really turned a corner there towards the end of the regular season when we went to Madison Square Garden and even in the first round and then for whatever reason, he just didn’t feel as good there in the Knicks series and never felt great.” &lt;/p&gt;
  158. &lt;div id="JepI0c"&gt;
  159. &lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true" align="center"&gt;
  160. &lt;p lang="en" dir="ltr"&gt;Kristaps Porzingis on how frustrating it’s been fighting through an illness:&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;“Super super frustrating. As frustrating as you can imagine. Just to not be able to help this team more. Especially with JT going out, just not being too much of a help just hurts deep inside.” &lt;a href="https://t.co/lU3eZPYswv"&gt;pic.twitter.com/lU3eZPYswv&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;— Celtics on CLNS (@CelticsCLNS) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/CelticsCLNS/status/1923604655738679329?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;May 17, 2025&lt;/a&gt;
  161. &lt;/blockquote&gt;
  162. &lt;script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;
  163.  
  164. &lt;/div&gt;
  165. &lt;p id="QmwFM1"&gt;When it comes to thinking of trades for Kristaps Porzingis this summer, there are a couple of different variables the Celtics are going to have to account for. The first is health.  Porzingis has a reputation of being injury prone throughout his entire career and I’m sure opposing teams will wonder how many games they’re actually going to get out of him. &lt;/p&gt;
  166. &lt;p id="VAPhxH"&gt;The second thing is his contract. Porzingis is projected to make a little over $30 million next year and with the Celtics being in the second apron, they have to find a team that has enough pieces to match the salary. According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, the Warriors are interested in a possible Porzingis trade as they have liked the idea of him since 2023. &lt;/p&gt;
  167. &lt;p id="czVVfy"&gt;The Warriors lack of assets means the backbone of a Porzingis to Golden State trade would most likely have to include Moses Moody, Buddy Hield, and one of Trayce Jackson-Davis or Gui Santos to make the money work plus maybe a draft pick. Are the Warriors willing to blow up a lot of their depth for a guy in Porzingis that isn’t the most reliable? &lt;/p&gt;
  168. &lt;p id="OG9QMY"&gt;After laying out the trade parameters, is there a world where Porzingis can remain on the Celtics next season? Yes. Porzingis is going into the final year of his two-year, $60 million extension that Boston gave him when they first traded for him and will be an unrestricted free agent in the 2026 offseason. Could Brad Stevens and Celtics management just let Porzingis play out his final season in Boston and let him leave for nothing if the trade packages are not desirable enough?&lt;/p&gt;
  169. &lt;figure class="e-image"&gt;
  170.        &lt;img alt="Boston Celtics v Golden State Warriors" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/pyIDsljVyaAbTQAIGd6T4ezQiPk=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26007930/2194444092.jpg"&gt;
  171.      &lt;cite&gt;Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images&lt;/cite&gt;
  172.  &lt;/figure&gt;
  173. &lt;p id="OyG793"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Verdict: Deal&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  174. &lt;p id="wjl2lL"&gt;As much as I am a fan of Kristaps Porzingis and will always cherish his Game 1 performance in the 2024 Finals, I don’t see a world where he is on the Celtics to start next season. Although his value is at an all-time low, a lot of teams in the NBA are looking for center depth, specifically in the Western Conference. The aforementioned Warriors, &lt;a href="https://www.silverscreenandroll.com"&gt;Lakers&lt;/a&gt;, Suns, and many more are looking for a big man out west, so I feel confident that Brad Stevens will be able to find a move that can help the Celtics moving forward. &lt;/p&gt;
  175. &lt;p id="Vu5Vfs"&gt;Boston is also focusing on shedding salary and out of their top-five paid players on the team, Porzingis is the one that has produced the least in the last two seasons and it makes the most sense to move off of him. This also opens the door for the Celtics to potentially bring back Al Horford and Luke Kornet who are both free agents this offseason.&lt;/p&gt;
  176. &lt;p id="opf85e"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  177.  
  178. </content>
  179.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/6/3/24437058/deal-or-no-deal-kristaps-porzingis-boston-celtics-nba-offseason-brad-stevens"/>
  180.    <id>https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/6/3/24437058/deal-or-no-deal-kristaps-porzingis-boston-celtics-nba-offseason-brad-stevens</id>
  181.    <author>
  182.      <name>Ian Inangelo</name>
  183.    </author>
  184.  </entry>
  185.  <entry>
  186.    <published>2025-06-03T09:00:00-04:00</published>
  187.    <updated>2025-06-03T09:00:00-04:00</updated>
  188.    <title>The heartbreak of 2025 should help you appreciate the magic of 2024 even more</title>
  189.    <content type="html">  
  190.  
  191.    &lt;figure&gt;
  192.      &lt;img alt="Boston Celtics v Dallas Mavericks - NBA Finals" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/-dOqDtxRgbcc39Xa-eLo6YEioc8=/4x0:5392x3592/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/74114665/2157538864.0.jpg" /&gt;
  193.        &lt;figcaption&gt;No one can ever take away the title of 2024. | Photo by Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  194.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  195.  
  196.  &lt;p&gt;This year’s setback will slowly start to fade away after time, but Banner 18 lasts forever.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="F9FwpN"&gt;Whenever anyone asks me my favorite basketball memory or my least favorite basketball memory, I don’t have to think too hard about my answers.&lt;/p&gt;
  197. &lt;p id="zD3yYM"&gt;Personally, nothing will ever beat Game 6 of the 2008 &lt;a href="https://www.sbnation.com/nba-finals"&gt;NBA Finals&lt;/a&gt;, when the &lt;a href="https://www.celticsblog.com"&gt;Celtics&lt;/a&gt; thrashed the &lt;a href="https://www.silverscreenandroll.com"&gt;Lakers&lt;/a&gt; to clinch their 17th championship.&lt;/p&gt;
  198. &lt;p id="XvicZ5"&gt;Nothing will ever sting more than Game 7 in 2010, when Kobe Bryant willed the Lakers to an 83-79 victory and deprived Boston of a second title.&lt;/p&gt;
  199. &lt;p id="xUAG28"&gt;That was the peak of my fandom as a high-schooler who had watched since early childhood and endured years of mediocrity prior to the Big Three. That 2008 title meant everything, then 2010 was the one that got away.&lt;/p&gt;
  200. &lt;p id="OpQnyL"&gt;It felt like that team should have won two, maybe three titles, just like it does with this current squad. With a core so talented and so perfectly assembled, it felt like more was in store. &lt;/p&gt;
  201. &lt;div id="clbmS8"&gt;
  202. &lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true" align="center"&gt;
  203. &lt;p lang="en" dir="ltr"&gt;"None of it feels real right now. It feels like we're in some Disney movie or something." &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;- Jaylen Brown on becoming an NBA Champion &lt;a href="https://t.co/c7j5zzweOG"&gt;pic.twitter.com/c7j5zzweOG&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSCeltics/status/1802914473398734932?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;June 18, 2024&lt;/a&gt;
  204. &lt;/blockquote&gt;
  205. &lt;script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;
  206.  
  207. &lt;/div&gt;
  208. &lt;p id="FfpkAv"&gt;As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized just how difficult it is to win multiple titles. Everything has to go exactly right one year, then it has to happen again another year. That’s far from a guarantee, especially in today’s NBA, where parity reigns supreme and no one has repeated since 2017-18. &lt;/p&gt;
  209. &lt;p id="HmfFsQ"&gt;The Bucks and Nuggets both had similar magical championship seasons and haven’t been able to break through since. Think about how incredible Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic are, and they still just have one ring apiece.&lt;/p&gt;
  210. &lt;p id="KCb9x6"&gt;I’m not saying the &lt;a href="https://www.celticsblog.com"&gt;Celtics&lt;/a&gt;’ championship window is closed, but it does appear likely that the championship window for this exact group is closed, barring a surprising twist. &lt;/p&gt;
  211. &lt;p id="WiT2P0"&gt;With Jayson Tatum out for at least part of next season, and offseason moves surely coming, it’s OK to feel a sense of sadness and disappointment. That’s part of being a fan and part of life. &lt;/p&gt;
  212. &lt;p id="Z7z3j5"&gt;The 2022 Celtics got a taste of the limelight. The 2023 Celtics left you wanting more. The 2024 Celtics are forever NBA champions. The 2025 Celtics underachieved. The 2026 Celtics may look very different.&lt;/p&gt;
  213. &lt;div id="HFg3Hb"&gt;
  214. &lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true" align="center"&gt;
  215. &lt;p lang="en" dir="ltr"&gt;It was a raucous scene outside the TD Garden in Boston after the Boston Celtics won their first NBA Championship in 16 years. &lt;a href="https://t.co/DEB9VYzHXb"&gt;pic.twitter.com/DEB9VYzHXb&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;— WCVB-TV Boston (@WCVB) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/WCVB/status/1802934869137256758?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;June 18, 2024&lt;/a&gt;
  216. &lt;/blockquote&gt;
  217. &lt;script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;
  218.  
  219. &lt;/div&gt;
  220. &lt;p id="Kf62j6"&gt;Enjoy the journey. The triumphs mean even more after the setbacks.&lt;/p&gt;
  221. &lt;p id="Jpu23h"&gt;When the 2008-2010 Celtics get together, they do so as champions. I’m sure the 2010 heartbreak comes up in conversation sometimes, but I’m guessing when it does, they flash their rings and their smiles quickly return.&lt;/p&gt;
  222. &lt;p id="oq7jgV"&gt;The same will be true for these Celtics, and for you as fans. 2025 will always sting, because it was right there for the taking, but don’t let that alter the way you view 2024. No one can take that title away. It will always be there.&lt;/p&gt;
  223. &lt;p id="lfevrW"&gt;I’m sure are many 15-year-old fans out there who celebrated the 2024 title and are now crushed by the 2025 lack of title. Trust me, you’ll remember 2024 more than 2025. If you travel abroad every month, each trip starts to blend together; if you go on a trip once in a while, it means even more.&lt;/p&gt;
  224. &lt;p id="LpZAON"&gt;Winning two or three championships should be the goal, and there’s a chance this team still will. But, regardless of how it shakes out, this era has been a success. This group ended a 16-year drought and finally clinched Banner 18.&lt;/p&gt;
  225. &lt;div id="bFu5BM"&gt;
  226. &lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true" align="center"&gt;
  227. &lt;p lang="en" dir="ltr"&gt;Highlights: The Boston Celtics beat the Dallas Mavericks in Game 5 to become NBA CHAMPIONS ☘️ &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Watch the full game highlights here   &lt;a href="https://t.co/ZG70mKqBYF"&gt;pic.twitter.com/ZG70mKqBYF&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSCeltics/status/1802902669830283750?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;June 18, 2024&lt;/a&gt;
  228. &lt;/blockquote&gt;
  229. &lt;script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;
  230.  
  231. &lt;/div&gt;
  232. &lt;p id="WEtKqP"&gt;Think about how long the Celtics were saying “It’s all about 18.” Now it’s about 19, and it may be for a while. Or maybe it won’t, but either way is OK.&lt;/p&gt;
  233. &lt;p id="xLXWYI"&gt;With each loss, each “what if” and each roster move, it simply adds a new page to the book. The next time the Celtics do win it all again, whether it’s 2026 or 2056 (don’t worry, it’s not going to happen), you’ll be ready to celebrate accordingly. &lt;/p&gt;
  234. &lt;p id="YKpU2h"&gt;The setbacks slowly start to fade away after time. Championships last forever.&lt;/p&gt;
  235.  
  236. </content>
  237.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/6/3/24440610/boston-celtics-2024-nba-champions-2025-heartbreak-analysis-jayson-tatum-jaylen-brown-joe-mazzulla"/>
  238.    <id>https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/6/3/24440610/boston-celtics-2024-nba-champions-2025-heartbreak-analysis-jayson-tatum-jaylen-brown-joe-mazzulla</id>
  239.    <author>
  240.      <name>Trevor Hass</name>
  241.    </author>
  242.  </entry>
  243.  <entry>
  244.    <published>2025-06-02T11:27:32-04:00</published>
  245.    <updated>2025-06-02T11:27:32-04:00</updated>
  246.    <title>Jazz hiring Celtics executive Austin Ainge</title>
  247.    <content type="html">  
  248.  
  249.    &lt;figure&gt;
  250.      &lt;img alt="2022 NBA Summer League - Atlanta Hawks v Utah Jazz" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/3KGJxQnco2GBayh8SUrddPzuuyo=/0x0:3518x2345/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/74113108/1242145296.0.jpg" /&gt;
  251.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  252.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  253.  
  254.  &lt;p&gt;Ainge joins Danny in Utah’s front office.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="KFXHn7"&gt;The Utah Jazz are making a significant addition to their front office, hiring longtime Boston Celtics executive Austin Ainge as their new President of Basketball Operations, according to &lt;a href="https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1929536050361258114"&gt;ESPN’s Shams Charania&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
  255. &lt;p id="2GvdMw"&gt;Ainge has spent the past 14 years in Boston’s front office, starting as Director of Player Personnel before being promoted to assistant general manager, a role he has held for the last six seasons. &lt;/p&gt;
  256. &lt;p id="waPYkx"&gt;During his tenure, Ainge was a key voice in the Celtics’ scouting and draft process, helping the team identify and develop talent in both the first and second rounds, as well as among undrafted free agents.&lt;/p&gt;
  257. &lt;p id="izHwhK"&gt;Before joining the Celtics’ executive ranks, Ainge served as the first head coach of the Maine Celtics (formerly known as the Maine Red Claws), Boston’s G League affiliate, beginning in 2009. &lt;/p&gt;
  258. &lt;p id="WoEI1Y"&gt;This move marks a reunion in Utah with his father, Danny Ainge, who joined the Jazz in December 2021 as CEO of Basketball Operations and alternate governor. The elder Ainge, a former Celtics player and the franchise’s longtime president of basketball operations, spent 18 years building Boston into a perennial playoff contender before stepping down following the 2020–21 season.&lt;/p&gt;
  259. &lt;figure class="e-image"&gt;
  260.        &lt;img alt="Boston Celtics Host Predraft Workout" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/CT-F4xzYidxWATveU4FW-1DVzBw=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26015289/969783244.jpg"&gt;
  261.      &lt;cite&gt;Photo by John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images&lt;/cite&gt;
  262.  &lt;/figure&gt;
  263. &lt;p id="ojUHTg"&gt;The move leaves the Celtics with a notable vacancy in their front office during a critical offseason. Boston, fresh off a strong regular season and a second round exit, faces major salary cap decisions and potential roster shake-ups in addition to dealing with Jayson Tatum who will most likely be sidelined for the entire 2025-26 season with a torn Achilles. &lt;/p&gt;
  264. &lt;p id="ehhVB0"&gt;Ainge had played a vital role behind the scenes in constructing Boston’s depth, with recent hits in the draft and signing undrafted free agents including Payton Pritchard, Grant Williams, Robert Williams III, Aaron Nesmith and Sam Hauser.&lt;/p&gt;
  265. &lt;p id="ItG66w"&gt;Boston’s front office has already undergone changes in recent years, with Brad Stevens stepping into the President of Basketball Operations role in 2021. Now, Stevens and his team will need to find a replacement for Ainge, a trusted voice in the room and a key contributor to the Celtics’ sustained success.&lt;/p&gt;
  266. &lt;p id="r1Vb6X"&gt;It is not yet clear who will succeed Ainge in Boston.&lt;/p&gt;
  267. &lt;p id="yIwZfg"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  268. &lt;p id="lVR0mZ"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  269.  
  270. </content>
  271.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/6/2/24441618/jazz-hiring-former-celtics-executive-austin-ainge"/>
  272.    <id>https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/6/2/24441618/jazz-hiring-former-celtics-executive-austin-ainge</id>
  273.    <author>
  274.      <name>Mark Aboyoun</name>
  275.    </author>
  276.  </entry>
  277.  <entry>
  278.    <published>2025-06-02T08:00:00-04:00</published>
  279.    <updated>2025-06-02T08:00:00-04:00</updated>
  280.    <title>CelticsBlog exit Interview: Payton Pritchard</title>
  281.    <content type="html">  
  282.  
  283.    &lt;figure&gt;
  284.      &lt;img alt="Boston Celtics v Toronto Raptors" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/i__PdRAU-9NYJpi2Nue952mr3Mc=/0x3:8192x5464/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/74112675/1246432323.0.jpg" /&gt;
  285.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  286.  
  287.  &lt;p&gt;PP took a huge leap in 2024-2025. And with potential moves on the horizon this summer, Pritchard could be in for another leap next year.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="HW4gfg"&gt;Even the staunchest Payton Pritchard supporters (me) probably couldn’t have predicted his rapid ascension this season. PP went from a fun little bench player — averaging 5.6 and 9.6 points per game in the previous two seasons, respectively — to scoring 14.3 ppg and winning 6th Man of the Year in 2025. &lt;/p&gt;
  288. &lt;p id="plQ3KH"&gt;With additional offensive responsibility and volume, players often struggle efficiency-wise –- but not Pritchard. Despite raising his field goal attempts from 7.7 to 10.8 per game from last year, his field goal percentage improved from 46.8% to 47.2%. And at the three-point line, Payton increased his attempts from 4.7 to 7.8 per game while somehow also improving his accuracy from an already good 38.5% to an elite 40.7%. &lt;/p&gt;
  289. &lt;p id="jq1DFz"&gt;In short, he became one of the NBA’s most consistent shooters and stamped himself as an elite microwave scorer off the bench, something difficult to do on such a well-balanced and deep team.&lt;/p&gt;
  290. &lt;div id="5XvbvF"&gt;
  291. &lt;div&gt;&lt;div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"&gt;&lt;iframe src="https://cdn.iframe.ly/api/iframe?url=https%3A%2F%2Fvideos.nba.com%2Fnba%2Fpbp%2Fmedia%2F2024%2F12%2F07%2F0022400345%2F566%2Fd279907c-d99c-d2aa-5c35-552529dbb0bb_1280x720.mp4&amp;amp;key=9ef4a209439e42bc59783ba959d50197" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" allow="encrypted-media *;"&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  292. &lt;script async="" src="https://cdn.iframe.ly/embed.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;
  293. &lt;/div&gt;
  294. &lt;div id="OwjFoM"&gt;
  295. &lt;div&gt;&lt;div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"&gt;&lt;iframe src="https://cdn.iframe.ly/api/iframe?url=https%3A%2F%2Fvideos.nba.com%2Fnba%2Fpbp%2Fmedia%2F2024%2F12%2F07%2F0022400345%2F576%2Fc50f260b-9614-a5d9-283e-0d044aebc636_1280x720.mp4&amp;amp;key=9ef4a209439e42bc59783ba959d50197" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" allow="encrypted-media *;"&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  296. &lt;script async="" src="https://cdn.iframe.ly/embed.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;
  297. &lt;/div&gt;
  298. &lt;p id="H6hjgy"&gt;Here are back-to-back plays — in a pivotal moment, nonetheless — of Pritchard moving without the ball and hitting tough threes off the catch. He has the ability to play around other great players because of his off-ball movement and shooting abliity, and he’s an excellent floor spacer who doesn’t need to be perfectly on-balanced to shoot. Oh, and he often spots up a few feet behind the line, which creates even more space for his teammates to drive.&lt;/p&gt;
  299. &lt;div id="tLLnsR"&gt;
  300. &lt;div&gt;&lt;div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"&gt;&lt;iframe src="https://cdn.iframe.ly/api/iframe?url=https%3A%2F%2Fvideos.nba.com%2Fnba%2Fpbp%2Fmedia%2F2024%2F12%2F01%2F0022400307%2F515%2Fe10f72e4-d037-3f90-9764-4cb1599549f2_1280x720.mp4&amp;amp;key=9ef4a209439e42bc59783ba959d50197" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" allow="encrypted-media *;"&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  301. &lt;script async="" src="https://cdn.iframe.ly/embed.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;
  302. &lt;/div&gt;
  303. &lt;p id="yV9K8d"&gt;Pritchard also has the ability to shoot it off the dribble, though. Here he is creating space against the Defensive Player of the Year with his patented step-back move; even at his size, he’s quick enough and has a compact enough shot release to get shots off over taller defenders. He can be a legitimate go-to scorer in end-of-shot-clock situations.&lt;/p&gt;
  304. &lt;div id="fiXJLJ"&gt;
  305. &lt;div&gt;&lt;div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"&gt;&lt;iframe src="https://cdn.iframe.ly/api/iframe?url=https%3A%2F%2Fvideos.nba.com%2Fnba%2Fpbp%2Fmedia%2F2025%2F03%2F14%2F0022400958%2F89%2F94340566-1f84-ab8d-6675-29a96a358d22_1280x720.mp4&amp;amp;key=9ef4a209439e42bc59783ba959d50197" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" allow="encrypted-media *;"&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  306. &lt;script async="" src="https://cdn.iframe.ly/embed.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;
  307. &lt;/div&gt;
  308. &lt;p id="FUS6To"&gt;Pritchard doesn’t just shoot threes. His footwork in the paint is exquisite and he does such a good job using his body to throw defenders off and create an opening to shoot layups at the rim. This was a clear improvement in his game this year; whether it be because of increased confidence or opportunity, PP showed what he can do when he’s allowed to attack the hoop in isolation.&lt;/p&gt;
  309. &lt;p id="uzW4qC"&gt;Scoring isn’t the only area where Pritchard improved this year, though. The 6-foot-1 guard (and that’s probably generous) went from an often-attacked defensive “liability” in previous seasons to a bulldog defensive player who changes the nature of the game as soon as he enters it with aggressive, hounding defense for 94 feet. At times, Pritchard even guarded the opposing team’s best player and held his own on that end, showcasing an incredible level of fight and intensity. &lt;/p&gt;
  310. &lt;p id="QxoUnD"&gt;In isolation defense, Pritchard defended 55 possessions this season and held the offensive player to 0.80 points per possession on those plays. This would be the best defensive rating in the entire NBA if it held up for an entire game. Not only should he not be attacked, he should actually probably be avoided on that end. Absolute pest.&lt;/p&gt;
  311. &lt;p id="P5esc6"&gt;The offensive boards also became a key component of Pritchard’s success this season. Yes, 6-foot-1, 195-pound Payton Pritchard excelled as an offensive rebounder. He had 102 offensive rebounds this season, good for 9th among all guards (and significantly better than any other guard his size). PP’s effort, conditioning and speed are the backbone of his offensive rebounding prowess, but he’s also phenomenal at reading the ball off the rim and finding a way to get his hands on it.&lt;/p&gt;
  312. &lt;div id="iYVhD5"&gt;
  313. &lt;div&gt;&lt;div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"&gt;&lt;iframe src="https://cdn.iframe.ly/api/iframe?url=https%3A%2F%2Fvideos.nba.com%2Fnba%2Fpbp%2Fmedia%2F2025%2F03%2F05%2F0022400891%2F305%2F4b751455-4e97-e1e9-07dd-be6a3d356a7a_1280x720.mp4&amp;amp;key=9ef4a209439e42bc59783ba959d50197" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" allow="encrypted-media *;"&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  314. &lt;script async="" src="https://cdn.iframe.ly/embed.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;
  315. &lt;/div&gt;
  316. &lt;p id="IDp1D4"&gt;Not only does Pritchard put himself in excellent rebounding position, but he’s tough enough to hold the defender off and even finish once he secures the board. If it happened only a couple times, it could be considered a fluke. But Pritchard has proven to be a consistent force and an absolute dog on the offensive boards.&lt;/p&gt;
  317. &lt;p id="fjdhaH"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Next year&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  318. &lt;p id="NMUPWj"&gt;Believe it or not, Pritchard actually has even more room to grow next season. Without Jayson Tatum in the lineup (and potentially others, pending this summer), PP will likely have an increased offensive role. And the stats from this season would suggest that he’s more than ready for it.&lt;/p&gt;
  319. &lt;p id="0kxYhj"&gt;On 170 Payton Pritchard-led pick and roll ball handler possessions this season, the &lt;a href="https://www.celticsblog.com"&gt;Celtics&lt;/a&gt; scored 1.11 points per possession. He was in the 94.6th percentile in pick and roll ball handling possessions. He understands how to make reads in those situations and is a pure point guard at his core. Sure, he can be great off the ball, but increased offensive opportunities next season could unlock the true potential of Pritchard.&lt;/p&gt;
  320.  
  321. </content>
  322.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/6/2/24436145/celticsblog-exit-interview-payton-pritchard"/>
  323.    <id>https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/6/2/24436145/celticsblog-exit-interview-payton-pritchard</id>
  324.    <author>
  325.      <name>RobbieHodin</name>
  326.    </author>
  327.  </entry>
  328. </feed>
  329.  

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