The Boston Celtics are heading into next season with a very different look after the Jaylen Brown trade, and that change puts Payton Pritchard right at the center of one of their trickiest decisions.
With Jayson Tatum set to become the clear No. 1 option for the first time in his career, the Celtics have a chance to lean even more heavily on his shot creation and decision-making. That should help Boston. But it also raises the pressure on everyone around him, especially because Tatum has played only 22 total games since his Achilles injury.
Pritchard is the obvious name to watch. Last season, he thrived in a starting role, and in 50 games as a starter he averaged 16.9 points, 5.3 assists, and 4.3 rebounds while shooting 45.6/34.8/86.7%, according to StatMuse.com. His ability to create offense makes a bigger role feel natural, and there’s a real argument that he should be starting full time.
The problem is that Boston may not be in position to make that move.
A big part of the reason the Celtics were comfortable starting Pritchard when Tatum was out last season was that Anfernee Simons was on the roster. Simons gave them another ball-dominant guard who could score at all three levels and provide instant offense. That safety net is gone now, and Boston doesn’t really have another player who fills that same lane.
That matters because moving Pritchard into the starting five would also take a real bite out of the bench. Boston’s second-unit scoring was already a problem last season, especially in the playoffs, and losing Pritchard from that group would only make things worse. The Celtics don’t have an obvious replacement who can be trusted to carry the offense off the bench.
If Pritchard starts, the lineup would likely look like Derrick White, Pritchard, Paul George, Jayson Tatum, and Neemias Queta. That’s a strong group on paper.
But the concern is what comes after it. Sam Hauser, Hugo Gonzalez, and Baylor Scheierman do not look like players Boston can count on to deliver 15 points a night off the bench.
It would also push Mike Conley into a bigger backup point guard role, and that comes with its own downside. The signing can help Boston in the locker room because of Conley’s veteran presence and leadership, but his on-court value is limited at this stage.
So the Celtics are stuck with a real dilemma. Pritchard may be good enough to start, and starting him might even be the best fit for his game because it would give him more chances to handle the ball. But Boston may be better off keeping him in a reserve role for one more season, using him for spot starts if needed and letting him close games.
For now, though, the Celtics may not have the pieces to make that happen.
In Other News...
NBA Legend Blasts Celtics Over Hard To Defend Jaylen Brown Gamble
Charles Barkley did not hold back on the Celtics decision to move Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia, calling it one of the craziest trades he has seen during a recent podcast. The reaction around the league has been just as sharp, with media analysts handing Boston low marks for the deal and focusing on the shape of the return package, which centered on Paul George and draft picks.
For Boston, the trade was framed by president Brad Stevens as a roster-building move tied to the way the team is constructed and the realities of the salary cap. Still, anytime a franchise parts with a player as established as Brown, the debate tends to linger well beyond the initial shock, and this one already has the feel of a move that will be dissected from every angle until the Celtics prove whether the gamble was worth it. [Read more 🡒]
How The 76ers Managed To Pry Jaylen Brown From Boston
The 76ers spent weeks working the phones before finally landing Jaylen Brown from Boston, a deal that brought one of the leagues most polished two-way wings to Philadelphia in exchange for a package built around two first-round picks, two second-round picks and Paul George. Mike Gansey, the Sixers president, said the negotiation dragged on as the team kept pressing to make the move happen, even after Bostons earlier pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo reshaped the landscape around the trade talks.
For Boston, it is the kind of move that can linger because Brown had become such a central figure in the teams identity and title hopes. For Philadelphia, the appeal is obvious: Brown is expected to step into a major role right away, with the Sixers viewing him as a centerpiece who can help push them back into championship contention and perhaps toward a second NBA title. [Read more 🡒]
Isaiah Thomas Just Floated A Late-Career Move Celtics Fans Will Debate
Isaiah Thomas has kept his basketball conversations alive well after his last NBA appearance, and now he is openly talking about a possible next chapter overseas. On social media, the former Celtics guard said he wants to play basketball in Europe and offered a glimpse of how he would approach the game differently if he got another chance, a reminder that his career path is still a topic of interest for Boston fans who watched him become one of the leagues most unlikely stars.
Thomas last appeared in the NBA with the Phoenix Suns during the 2023-24 season, but the overseas door has at least been cracked open a bit. Zalgiris Kaunas invited him to take in a game from courtside, which gives the idea some real-life texture even if there is still no clear indication that an actual contract offer is coming. For a player whose next move always seems to invite debate, this is the kind of development that keeps the conversation going. [Read more 🡒]