Payton Pritchard Gushes Over Celtics’ First-Round Rookie
The Boston Celtics had a busy offseason, and as a result, there are a lot of new faces in town. One of those new faces, first-round rookie Hugo Gonzalez, appears to have already made quite an impression on Payton Pritchard, one of the holdovers from the C’s offseason dealings.
With the Celtics looking to duck under the second apron of the league’s new salary cap, they ended up being forced to move on from Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford and Luke Kornet over the past few months. Beyond that, Jayson Tatum is set to miss most of the season recovering from a torn Achilles injury he suffered in the postseason.
Now that those guys are all gone, other players are going to have to step up and lead the charge. Pritchard is expected to be one of the leaders of the team now, and part of his job has involved helping Gonzalez make the transition to the NBA.
At just 19 years old, Gonzalez has tons of potential, but he’s still very raw. After an inconsistent Summer League showing, Gonzalez turned in several strong outings during the postseason, indicating he could carve out a role for himself right away. It may be only a couple of games, but Gonzalez has already made a strong impression on Pritchard.
“He’s relentless, I like that about him,” Pritchard said of Gonzalez. “He comes in and he seems fearless, and he’s a really good athlete. He’s ready to go in and pick up … He’s gonna need that confidence, that relentless, fearless type of composure.”
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Boston’s lineup is going to look very different this season, meaning Gonzalez could immediately find his way into the team’s rotation. As for Pritchard, he could potentially start in the backcourt alongside fellow guard Derrick White.
It’s going to take the C’s some time to figure out how to get the best out of their new look roster. If Gonzalez can earn some minutes right out of the gate, that could help the team potentially emerge as a dark-horse playoff contender.
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Bleacher Report's Alex Bregman contract prediction should be easy sell for Red Sox
It came as no surprise to reporters and fans when Alex Bregman opted out of the second two seasons of his three-year, $120 million deal with the Boston Red Sox. The third baseman coveted a long-term deal in free agency last winter, and when none of the teams in his market met his price, Bregman signed a high-average annual value bridge deal with Boston.
After reinforcing his reputation as a leader in the young Red Sox clubhouse and guiding the team back to the postseason for the first time since 2021, Bregman again seeks a long-term deal. The veteran told Chris Cotillo of
Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report predicts his priorities will be met. In their free agent contract predictions piece from October 16, Reuter imagines that Bregman will land a five-year, $175 million contract. Reuter did not specify which team would give him said contract, but most insiders and reporters agree that a reunion with Boston is the most likely outcome of Bregman's free agency.
Reuter's proposed contract for Bregman looks strikingly similar to the deal he rejected from the Tigers last season. Detroit offered him six years and $170 million, but Bregman preferred to play in Boston on a higher AAV deal.
Bleacher Report's proposed contract for Alex Bregman should be an easy 'yes' for the Red Sox
If Bregman and his agent Scott Boras approach the Red Sox with contract demands in the range of
A five-year, $175 million deal would carry an AAV of $35 million, which is only $5 million less than Bregman made in 2025, when he played just 114 games due to a quad injury. Some fans may be hesitant to pay Bregman that kind of money because of his recent injury and age, but it's in Boston's best interest to bring him back.
After the Rafael Devers trade, the Red Sox don't have another experienced third baseman in their system to take Bregman's place if he walks in free agency. Bregman also brought leadership and over a hundred games of postseason experience to the Red Sox as one of the only trusted veterans on the roster. Trevor Story also has the opportunity to opt out of his contract, and if both he and Bregman leave, so does nearly all of the veteran leadership and the entire left side of the infield.
This year's class of free agent third basemen is also rather underwhelming, and Bregman is the best available option. Eugenio Suárez, Yoán Moncada, Paul De Jong and Luís Urías are also among the options, but none meet the Sox's needs as well as Bregman does.
The Devers trade has put all of his remaining contract money back in the Red Sox's pockets, and they must spend it on Bregman and another free agent power bat. The other options at third base are underwhelming and not as well-rounded as Bregman, and he aligns well with the team's goal to consistently return to the playoffs to compete for a World Series.
