David Butler II-Imagn Images

Celtics ‘Poised’ To Start Surprise Player

Originally posted on Last Word On Sports
By Quenton S Albertie | Last updated Aug 14, 2025 9:07 AM ET

Regardless of Jayson Tatum‘s long journey to recovery, the Boston Celtics are going to try to make the playoffs next season.

Really, five-year pro Payton Pritchard says “it’s not even about playoffs, we have one standard in Boston and it’s to win a championship” (h/t NBC Sports Boston’s Celtics Talk Podcast). This may not jive with the general consensus. Not only is Tatum attempting to bounce back from a possible career-altering injury, the Celtics have trimmed their salary by trading stars Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis. Additionally, mainstay Al Horford is testing out free agency and considering retirement; he doesn’t appear likely to return.

But the Celtics have a trick up their sleeves.

Celtics ‘Poised’ To Start Payton Pritchard

As Tatum is likely out for most if not all of the 2025-26 regular season, Jaylen Brown is set to step into his shoes. It’s a bit ironic, as it used to seem like there was an invisible tug-of-war between the two. In any case, Brown now gets the opportunity that he can lead a team to glory as their No. 1 option.

Brown isn’t the only player that’s preparing for a role that’s somewhat foreign to them though. Pritchard, the reigning Sixth Man of the Year, is “poised” to be a full-time starter for the first time in his career (per FastbreakJournal.com’s Grant Afseth). That’s right, not offseason acquisition Anfernee Simons, who’s started every game he’s played the past three seasons.

Pritchard. P-Rabbit. Fast PP.

The Celtics all of a sudden have the best reserve in the league now too?! Payton Pritchard is averaging 17 PPG on 43% from three, breaking the defense down, running the offense, getting after it defensively and setting guys up. Real hooper. pic.twitter.com/517SE1W4jG

— Ball Don’t Stop (@balldontstop) December 13, 2024

As Boston has had Simons on the trade block since they got him, they’ve clearly never firmly had him in their plans. Thus, it does make sense to promote Pritchard to the first unit. However, Boston’s rationale may be even simpler than that. They believe the 27-year-old former 26th pick has “earned the starting job through years of steady development.” His “familiarity with the (Celtics) system” is another factor in his favor.

Shifting Philosophy

With that in mind, Boston could be making a shift to their defensive philosophy that makes Pritchard a viable starter as well. “They have never forced many turnovers under (Joe) Mazzulla, but appear to want to change that part of their statistical profile next season,” reports The Athletic’s Jay King. Though Pritchard lacks ideal size at 6-foot-1, he’s a dogged point-of-attack defender that averaged 2.3 deflections and steals combined per game.

Simons wasn’t far behind with 2.1 deflections and steals per game. He drew three charges last season compared to Pritchard’s two. He’s also got better size at 6-foot-3. Yet, he isn’t as consistently engaged as Pritchard is at that end.

6MOY?

Simons isn’t going to get the cold shoulder if he stays in Beantown. The Celtics will use him as “a high-scoring option off the bench,” per Afseth. After all, he’s averaged 19.9 points per game over the past four seasons. In that span, he’s taken 8.5 three-point attempts per game, making 38.1 percent of them. That’s right in line with Mazzulla’s offensive philosophy.

As a matter of fact, who’s to say that Simons can’t win Sixth Man of the Year himself?

This article first appeared on Last Word On Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: