The Celtics agreed to a two-year, $44.2 million extension with Payton Pritchard on Oct. 13, a day before hosting Charlotte in the second-to-last tune-up before the schedule starts counting. Boston is 2-0 in exhibition play, and the roster's health, not its depth chart, is the open question heading into the opener at Detroit.
Boston secured its point guard spot before the schedule started counting.
Payton Pritchard agreed to a two-year, $44.2 million extension, first reported by Shams Charania on Oct. 13. He averaged 17.0 points and 5.2 assists last season on 37.7 percent shooting, and the new money keeps Boston's backcourt rotation intact without touching this year's $203.9 million payroll, which already sits past the $200.4 million luxury-tax line.
Charlotte brings an unsettled backcourt into tonight's game.
The Hornets list six players with issues entering the matchup, including leading scorer Kon Knueppel (hamstring) and Grayson Allen (knee), with no return dates given. Charlotte went 44-38 last season and is making its only road trip in this stretch, coming off just one game in the previous seven days.
The exhibition slate is nearly finished.
Boston beat Cleveland 124-113 on Oct. 8 and Philadelphia 144-106 on Oct. 10. One tune-up remains after tonight, a rematch at Philadelphia on Oct. 16, before the regular-season opener Oct. 20 at Detroit and the home opener Oct. 23 against New York.
Durability, not depth, is the question that still matters.
Jayson Tatum played 16 games last season and Paul George 37 at age 36; both are off the injury list entering tonight. Whether that holds once the schedule stops being optional is the test no extension can answer.
Did the Celtics re-sign Payton Pritchard?
Yes. Boston and Pritchard agreed to a two-year, $44.2 million extension, reported by Shams Charania on Oct. 13.
When do the Celtics open the regular season?
Boston opens the regular season Oct. 20 at Detroit, after one more preseason game Oct. 16 at Philadelphia.
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