Celtics guard Payton Pritchard gained the NBA’s Sixth Man of the 12 months award in 2024/25 after averaging 14.3 factors, 3.8 rebounds and three.5 assists on .472/.407/.845 capturing in 80 video games final season (28.4 MPG). Final week, he mentioned his confidence within the workforce’s capability to stay aggressive and his pleasure for a bigger position in 2025/26.
After buying and selling Jrue Vacation to Portland, Boston intends to advertise Pritchard to the beginning lineup for the upcoming season, Grant Afseth experiences for FastbreakJournal.com.
Which means Anfernee Simons — whom the Celtics acquired for Vacation and have reportedly been making an attempt to commerce — will primarily slide into Pritchard’s outdated position as a spark-plug scorer off the bench, assuming he’s nonetheless on the roster when the season suggestions off in October.
As Afseth notes, Pritchard solely began three video games final season, however he put up massive numbers in these contests, averaging 21.7 PPG, 5.0 RPG and seven.3 APG in 35.1 MPG.
Based on Afseth, Boston believes the previous twenty sixth general choose has “earned the beginning job via years of regular improvement.” Pritchard is getting into his sixth season with the Celtics.
Whereas Simons is a extra confirmed offensive participant than Pritchard, he’s additionally a worse defender. And given Simons’ tenuous spot on the roster — he’s on an expiring $27.7MM contract, whereas Pritchard is within the second season of a four-year, $30MM rookie scale extension — it is sensible from each a team-building and continuity perspective to offer Pritchard the beginning nod.
