Let's be honest, when Jaylen Brown bags a 40-piece for the 76ers in the midst of a long win streak this season, its going to feel painful.
Even more painful? Watching his new teammate LeBron James celebrate alongside him.
The NBA's biggest free agent stunned the league on Friday, announcing his intention to join forces with Brown, Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and VJ Edgecombe. Perhaps more shocking than picking the 76ers over the Cavaliers, Heat or Warriors? The actual contract itself.
Two years. $8 million.
Thats it!
Say what you want about the 41-year-old King, that's highway robbery. Most expected a significant pay cut after he made a career-high $52.6 million last season to nudge his career earnings beyond $580 million.
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But I'm not sure anyone saw him inking for a deal so small it as to make him the leagues 291st-highest paid player in 2026-27 — just below the likes of Jayden Quaintance, Javonte Green, Miles McBride and Tristan Da Silva.
Comparing Payton Pritchard's contract to LeBron James
And yet for how big of a bargain it is, it still doesn't compete with Payton Pritchard's deal with the Celtics.
Steph Noh of The Sporting News created a handy NBA salary tool that projects how much a player is actually worth relative to what they make.
According to Noh's model, Pritchard's deal — set to pay him $7.8 million in 2026-27 — is more than $20 million below market value. That's a cost savings that reigns supreme even compared to LeBron's bargain bin deal with the 76ers.
In fact, Pritchard's deal solely going by this value isn't even the best bargain on Boston's roster.
That distinction belongs to Neemias Queta whose $2.7 million salary for this upcoming season is a whopping $22.3 million less than his projected value of $25.0 million.
With Pritchard about to step into a far expanded role (even if those playing "the next Jalen Brunson" card need to chug some settle down juice), that bargain contract will feel like Boston's own version of a King's ransom.
Just don't as me about the Paul George contract.
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