During his time with the Boston Celtics, Payton Pritchard has improved every season. Over the last two years, he has become one of the most underrated guards in the sport. He won Sixth Man of the Year in 2025 and followed that up with the best year of his career this past season.
He may be a small guard, but Pritchard plays bigger than he actually is. That is what allows him to score efficiently.
With Jaylen Brown now in Philadelphia, a whole lot of usage just opened up. Jayson Tatum seems poised to take most of it, but he is going to need help. That is where Pritchard comes in.
Payton Pritchard is primed for a huge year and could be an All-Star for the first time
Last season, Pritchard averaged 17 points per game, four rebounds, and five assists. He shot 46 percent from the field and 38 percent from three-point range. Self-creation took a huge step. He was much more aggressive getting to the rim, and looked comfortable as a playmaker.
He had multiple scoring explosions last year, including a 42-point outburst against the Cleveland Cavaliers last November. His efficiency also remained consistent from month to month, as he only shot below 37 percent from three in a month twice throughout the season and one of them was in October, which is the first month of the NBA year and Pritchard only played six games.
Pritchard is great at using his body to get to the rim, which is a shock to bigger defenders that think they have the advantage. It allows him to be efficient in the paint.
He’s also going to have the biggest role of his career this year, as he will be the full-time starting point guard like he was last season, but this time he’ll be a primary creator alongside Tatum. And when Tatum goes to the bench, it will be Pritchard’s show.
The Eastern Conference is loaded, but the Celtics are ready to compete. Tatum is further removed from his achilles injury, the team added to their supporting cast, and Pritchard looks primed for an All-Star level leap.
If Pritchard is able to increase his level, then it will be difficult to discount Boston in the East. He has improved each season and with a bigger role, he can reach a level in his games that we have not seen yet. And that would be an exciting development for the Celtics.
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