Celtics' Payton Pritchard Could Be Massively Impacted by Jayson Tatum Injury

There are going to be a lot of changes next season with the Boston Celtics. Now that their postseason run has officially ended, they have moved on to next year.

Jayson Tatum is going to miss most, if not all, of next season. He isn't the only player who likely won't be part of the Celtics next year because this team is headed for a lot of changes.

Boston is headed for a massive luxury tax bill if it keeps everyone together. Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis are candidates to be traded to get under the tax bill.

Even if both of those guys end up staying with the team next season, there is an open spot in the starting lineup now that Tatum is hurt. One player stands to gain the most from that situation.

That player is Payton Pritchard. Pritchard, the reigning Sixth Man of the Year, is a candidate to move into the starting lineup as Boston reconfigures things.

Jaylen Brown is likely going to move into more of a forward role, taking over for Tatum. Derrick White is not a pure point guard, but he can defend players who are bigger than him.

That means that even if Holiday is still on the team, the Celtics could move toward a three-guard lineup. Because of how good White and Holiday are on defense, small ball could work for this team.

The Celtics might not be a contender for the title next season, but they are still going to try to win as many games as possible. Pritchard could help them do just that.

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Pritchard was put in a position by the Celtics to eventually take over the starting point guard spot. That could happen as soon as this year, depending on what changes happen.

Pritchard's improved defense shows a commitment from him to want to be the best player he can be. That should help him be an effective starter whenever that time comes.

This past season, Pritchard averaged 14.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game. He shot 42.7 percent from the field and 40.7 percent from beyond the three-point arc.

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