Celtics reportedly interviewed Oregon’s Pritchard; is he a fit?

According to Forbes Sports’ Chris Grenham, Oregon guard Payton Pritchard has interviewed with the Boston Celtics.

While it’s not unusual for teams to interview across the spectrum of available prospects to do their due diligence in case of a draft-night trade — and especially so in the case of a team like the Celtics, who possess four total picks spread throughout much of the draft — Pritchard is an intriguing option.

While there are questions about his game that will need some work to translate at the next level, his work ethic is among the best in this cohort of prospects.

Good feel for the game who can serve as both a playmaker and scorer. Works extremely hard on both sides of the ball.

— Chris Grenham (@chrisgrenham) October 8, 2020

A solid playmaker who can shoot (41.5% from deep in his senior season with the Ducks) and score off the dribble with good athleticism, his defensive effort and willingness to get to the line are key areas he can improve his stock.

At 6-foot-2 with a 6-foot-4 wingspan, the Oregon product will likely never be a primary or even secondary offensive option, but the tools are there to become at least a rotation player with upside to start if he can maximize his strengths.

For a prospect projected to go late in the second round by most drafts, that’s a solid value for the Celtics No. 47 pick, presuming they hang on to it.