Celtics Rising Star Named Trade Fit for Rockets After Fred VanVleet Injury

This Celtics player has been linked to the Rockets after VanvVleet's devastating injury.

Mar 31, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Luke Kennard (10) battles for a rebound with Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard (11) and forward Sam Hauser (30) during the third quarter at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The Boston Celtics have already made a couple of very impactful trades this offseason. They decided to part ways with two starters, shipping both Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis out of town.

Jayson Tatum is likely out for the entire season as well as he recovers from a torn Achilles. That leaves Boston in a very tough position heading into next season.

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The Houston Rockets find themselves in a hard spot as well after losing Fred VanVleet to a torn ACL. Now, one pundit believes they should target a Celtics guard to replace him.

NBA pundit links Rockets with Celtics guard Payton Pritchard

Brad Botkin of CBS Sports believes that the Rockets should consider trying to trade for Payton Pritchard as a means of replacing VanVleet.

"This is probably my favorite target for the Rockets. Pritchard is a bonafide offensive weapon and even though he definitely has size limitations, he's an ultra competitive defender who can make an honest two-way difference -- especially with the kind of support Houston has to offer," Botkin notes.

Of course, the Celtics would have to be willing to part with their point guard of the future, meaning that they would need a ton of assets in return to think about doing something like this.

The Celtics are happy with Pritchard becasue he is a good, young player on a cheap contract. That's something that's very valuable in today's two-apron CBA system that the NBA has.

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The Celtics would require a lot of assets in any trade for Prtichard

Botkin believes that a trade that includes Reed Sheppard could get the deal done.

"Personally, I would personally include Sheppard in a deal with the Celtics for Pritchard. I think he's that good. I actually think Pritchard is pretty close to the most realistic comp for what Sheppard can turn into anyway," Botkin writes. "The size is very similar. I have to squint to see major things Sheppard can do that Pritchard can't. Maybe Sheppard winds up being a little better in three or four years, but for the immediate value Pritchard brings to a team intent on current contention, the short-term payoff, to me, is worth the long-term risk."

Boston would likely need more than that, especially with the contract that Pritchard is signed to.

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