Payton Pritchard didn’t need much time to make sense of the Celtics’ move on Jaylen Brown. When Boston sent Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers ahead of the 2026-27 season, Pritchard treated it like what he believes it is in today’s NBA: another reminder that nothing really stays still for long.
“It’s a part of the business. So, nothing’s actually really that shocking to me anymore,” Pritchard said.
“You’re just used to seeing big things, and I think changes happen all the time. It always sucks to see a brother and a teammate that you played with for a long time go, but you move on, and you get ready to go to war against him.”
That doesn’t mean the guard is brushing past what Brown meant to him. Pritchard made it clear the relationship mattered, and that Brown’s influence left a mark.
“I learned so much from him. So, I’m very grateful for our relationship,” Pritchard added.
“He’s obviously a tremendous basketball player. He took me under his wing at times, and I’m very grateful for it.”
The Celtics are now heading into a new season with the roster picture changed, and Pritchard said the team hasn’t even taken the time to hash it out in the group chat.
“We didn’t text in the group chat. Everybody deals with different things in their own way,” Pritchard said.
“As I said, it’s part of the business though. Things happen.
So, big players get moved. Guys need to step up and turn the page.”
For Pritchard, the bigger question is less about Brown’s departure and more about his own growth. He said he hasn’t spent much time thinking about how the trade could affect his role in 2026-27.
“I haven’t really thought about it. I’m just worried about becoming a better basketball player,” Pritchard said.
“And ultimately, that should hopefully lead to more success for our team, and me individually. Really, it’s whatever the team needs.
I try to focus in that sense.
“Some of that stuff is out of my control; whatever the coaches decide, and all that. But being the best basketball player possible, adding to my game. Get better and better, become more efficient, will lead to more success.”
With Brown gone, there’s a path for more responsibility for players like Pritchard and Derrick White. But Pritchard isn’t trying to frame it that way yet.
He’s focused on the work in front of him, and the schedule is about to give the Celtics their first look at the new reality. Boston opens preseason against the Cavs on October 8 before hosting Brown and the 76ers two days later at TD Garden.
In Other News...
Payton Pritchards Celtics Reaction Says Plenty About Bostons New Reality
Chris Cenacs arrival at No. 27 gave the Celtics another young piece to think about, and his college coach, Kelvin Sampson, made the fit sound pretty straightforward. Boston also has a lot more going on around the edges of the roster, with owner Bill Chisholm saying there are no immediate plans for a new arena and veteran point guard Mike Conley already sounding energized about landing in the mix.
Still, the clearest window into where things stand may have come from Payton Pritchard, whose reaction to Jaylen Browns move to Philadelphia said plenty about how different this version of the Celtics feels. Between a fresh draft pick, a veteran addition, and the franchises long-term building questions, Boston is entering a stretch where almost every comment seems to hint at a bigger reset still taking shape. [Read more 🡒]
Payton Pritchard Could Gain Something Huge From Mike Conley
Payton Pritchard has already grown into an important part of Bostons rotation, but the Celtics summer moves suggest there is still room for him to sharpen the finer points of running an offense. After trading Jaylen Brown, the front office went into the offseason looking to build a better support system around Jayson Tatum and Paul George, and the addition of Mike Conley Jr. fits neatly into that plan. Conley brings the kind of veteran steadiness and point guard know-how that can help a player like Pritchard keep expanding his game.
For Boston, this is about more than just filling out the depth chart. Conley is expected to provide leadership and mentorship to younger players, and Pritchard stands out as one of the clearest beneficiaries because of how much he can still absorb about the position. The Celtics do not need him to become a different player, but if Conley can help him see the floor a little better and manage the offense with more control, that is the sort of quiet upgrade that can matter once the games get tight. [Read more 🡒]
Respected Coach Just Validated The Celtics Path For Their New Rookie
The Celtics rookie pipeline got an encouraging public nod this week from a coach who has spent plenty of time around high-level talent. Houstons Kelvin Sampson spoke positively about Chris Cenac Jr. after Boston drafted him, pointing to the organizations development program and coaching staff as a place where a young player can grow with structure around him. For a team that has built a lot of its recent success on maximizing role players and prospects alike, praise like that lands as more than just polite draft-season chatter.
It also fits the way Boston tends to sell its path to newcomers: earn your opportunity, trust the work, and let the staff help sort out the rest. Cenacs arrival gives the Celtics another young piece to track, and Sampsons endorsement adds outside validation at a time when player fit and long-term growth matter as much as raw talent. The next question is how quickly Boston turns that promise into a real role, but the framework around it already looks familiar. [Read more 🡒]