With Jaylen Brown now officially out the door, everyone’s looking at Payton Pritchard to slot right into a starting role for the Celtics next season. Hold up, though, because it’s not as simple as it looks. The departure of Brown throws a curveball into Pritchard’s future, despite what you might think is an open door.
The Starter’s Role That Vanished Before
Remember last season? Pritchard actually started 47 of the first 48 games. He was out there, making moves, until Jayson Tatum came back. Then, boom, he ceded that starting spot to Baylor Scheierman. That move was all about replacing Anfernee Simons’ scoring punch in the second unit after Simons got traded for Nikola Vučević. So, Pritchard has been there, done that, and then had that role taken away. It proves nothing is ever truly set in stone, especially in the NBA.
Paul George: The X-Factor for PP’s Future
Now, with Jaylen Brown off to Philadelphia, his spot is presumably going to Paul George, the guy they traded for him. Unless PG13 is somehow going to be that veteran bench spark, it seems reasonable to assume he’s taking a starting slot. This is the biggest wrinkle for Pritchard. Does he find himself back in the starting lineup alongside George, or does he return to the role where he absolutely crushed it, winning Sixth Man of the Year back in 2025? It’s a huge question with high stakes.
Pritchard’s been putting in the work, too. Bobby Manning caught up with him, and PP’s focused on getting to the free throw line more often next season. The team wants to make better reads and keep that hard-playing identity. As Pritchard himself said, “That’s the biggest thing, and we need everybody to take a step. Regular season wins, you win by playing hard and then in the playoffs, you win by playing harder and smarter. That’s really the recipe.” If he’s driving more, drawing fouls, that definitely helps the team, and it helps his individual numbers. With just two years left on his team-friendly contract, a boost in production could land him a much bigger payday. Whether he starts or comes off the bench, that drive to the line needs to be there.
For Pritchard, it’s about seizing every moment next season. Can he outplay expectations and secure a starting spot, or will he embrace his Sixth Man role to the fullest? Whatever happens, his performance in 2026-27 is going to tell us everything about his long-term future and what kind of contract he commands.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Celtics Blog.
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