Jordan Walsh looks set to open the 2026-27 season in Boston’s starting five, but that doesn’t really change the bigger picture for Payton Pritchard.
Walsh’s value at the top of games comes on the defensive end. After Boston’s 114-93 exhibition win over the Charlotte Hornets, Joe Mazzulla pointed to exactly why the Celtics want him there.
"Jordan continues to be really good at the start of games, guarding the other team's best player, getting off to a good start defensively," said Joe Mazzulla after Boston's 114-93 exhibition win over the Charlotte Hornets. "It's a huge role for him that we're gonna need from him."
With Walsh handling that assignment, Derrick White and Paul George can do more damage away from the ball, and it also gives Boston a way to ease the load on two players in their 30s. Even so, the starting group is not locked in. Over the course of the regular season, the Celtics will mix and match, and different players should get chances with the first unit.
The end of games is a different story.
That’s where Pritchard should matter most. Even if he’s still listed as Boston’s sixth man, he could still wind up as the team’s second-leading scorer. Foul trouble, a scorching shooting night, or just a rough stretch for someone else can always push Mazzulla toward another option, but Pritchard belongs in the group Boston trusts late.
He brings more than scoring. Pritchard gives the Celtics another ball-handler, and last season he tied Deni Avdija for the most points per possession when bringing the ball up the floor, according to the ALL NBA Podcast. He’s also a dangerous catch-and-shoot threat from deep, which makes him a clean fit for kick-outs and extra passes.
His pairing with Jayson Tatum is especially dangerous. Last season, that duo produced 46.1 points in 18.5 minutes together and posted a 123.2 offensive rating.
Whether the two are running pick-and-roll action or simply spaced apart on the floor, the defense has to pick its poison. Give either one room, and the shot usually follows.
For Boston, the closing lineup matters more than the opening tip. Pritchard coming off the bench helps keep the backcourt minutes under control, even though there’s still a reasonable case for him to start.
Walsh has his own case too. But the Celtics’ best five on the floor when the game tightens up is where the real edge is.
That urgency shows up in the numbers. Boston ranked 23rd in clutch-time scoring last season, averaging 8.2 points in the final five minutes of games within five points.
The gap to the top was not enormous. The Denver Nuggets led the league at 12.0 points per game in clutch situations, while the Detroit Pistons finished 10th at 9.2.
Those margins are tight, and they make personnel decisions matter even more. Pritchard’s shot-making and fit next to Boston’s top player give him a strong case to be on the floor when it counts most. NBA.com’s annual GMs survey even pegged the former Oregon standout as a breakout player this year, and steering the Celtics to wins in crunch time should be a big part of that rise.
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