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Watch: Jayson Tatum’s 25YO Teammate Receives Fans’ Highest Honor in NBA Preseason, Moments After Securing a $30 Million Bag

Published 10/09/2023, 12:16 AM EDT

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USA Today via Reuters

The Boston Celtics have had a drastic makeover this off-season. Some of the mainstays from the last season, who were considered the cornerstones of the team, got shipped out. And they have also added some key players to the lineup. Amidst all this, Boston’s twenty-sixth pick of the 2020 draft not only remained unmoved, but also got his huge payday.

The Boston Celtics began their preseason with their game against the Philadelphia 76ers. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown played in this opener, while Philly’s Joel Embiid and James Harden were a no-show.

Boston loves Pritchard

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Payton Pritchard’s intensity makes him a crowd favorite, and if the chants are to be believed, he is no less than an MVP for the Boston Loyalists. In the enthralling video below, you will hear the fans go wild with the MVP chants as Pritchard takes the free throws.

Payton Pritchard played important minutes in the 2022 season, but had a subpar outing under Joe Mazzulla. Some of it could be attributed to his heel injury, but even otherwise, Pritchard was under utilized. He had substantial success under Ime Udoka and even played during the crucial moments of important games. In this offseason, Marcus Smart, Grant Williams, Robert Williams III, and Malcolm Brogdon got traded, and Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis were brought in. Despite those wild moves, Payton Pritchard found himself glued to the Celtics. But he wanted to go to a team where he could contribute consistently and made a trade request. The Celtics, however, had other plans for him, which resulted in Pritchard signing a four-year, 30-million-dollar deal with the Boston team.

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What is up for the Celtics?

With Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday additions, clearly, Joe Mazzulla is taking a different approach to this season. Their style of play would have to cover their lack of size, the responsibility of which could land on the shoulders of Al Horford after a long time.

“For a Change”: Long-Time Rival Chris Paul Points Out Hilarious Irony After Crushing Lakers on Debut Alongside Stephen Curry and Co.

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Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are both in their mid-twenties and have made it to the all-star teams multiple times. This super-talented duo has the potential to dethrone the East, which looks more formidable than ever. A lot rides on them, as they are expected to win a title for this storied franchise that has not won a championship since 2008.

Watch This Story: “Lame Time as Usual”: Portland Fans Turn on Damian Lillard Hours Within Bucks Trade After His ‘I Could Never Be Replaced’ Release

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Written by:

Vinod Pillai

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Vinod is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. Having over six years of experience as a creative writer, he combines his passion for basketball with his love for journalism. Being an ardent fan of the NBA, he has been following & learning from reputed insiders & reporters such as Adrian Wojnarowski, Tim Legler, JJ Redick, Stephen A.
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Edited by:

Sameen Nawathe