Should Payton Pritchard Start for the Celtics Next Season?

The Boston Celtics seemingly found the perfect role for Payton Pritchard in 2025, as he scorched the league off the bench on his way to winning Sixth Man of the Year.

But what if there’s still more to unlock?

Boston enters the 2026 season facing a drastic shift in expectations.

Jayson Tatum is expected to miss most — if not all — of the year, and several key pieces from their championship core are now gone. What remains is a roster in transition, and with it, a rare opportunity to experiment.

The Celtics now face a crucial question regarding Pritchard: Did they already strike gold by utilizing him as a second-unit spark plug, or could a promotion to the starting lineup elevate his game even further?

Pritchard’s Breakout 2025 Season

Pritchard flirted with a breakout in 2024. In 2025, he officially arrived.

The reigning Sixth Man of the Year came off the bench, but his production was starter-level.

Pritchard logged 2,165 minutes off the bench, over 300 more than the next closest reserve (Keldon Johnson). He made the most of them, scoring 1,079 points to lead all bench players, and knocking down 246 threes— the most by a reserve in NBA history.

His leap was all the more impressive considering his efficiency. While attempting 10.8 field goal attempts per game, the most in his NBA career, he shot a career-best 63.3% true shooting percentage. His 128.8 points per 100 shot attempts led all point guards.

Boston found a winning formula with Pritchard anchoring the second unit. But after a season like that, and given the current state of the roster, is it time to see what he can do with an even bigger role?

Pritchard’s History as a Starter

Pritchard entered the NBA as a four-year starter out of Oregon, but his role in Boston has looked quite different. Across five seasons, he’s started just 17 games for the Celtics.

Naturally, questions linger about whether he can sustain his production against starting-caliber matchups. So far, he’s handled those chances well, averaging 17.2 points, 6.4 assists, and 5.1 rebounds as a starter.

But context is key. 13 of those starts came without either Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown in the lineup, and many occurred in low-stakes games late in the season. The last time he started alongside both stars was back in March 2023 against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Still, there are reasons for optimism. 

In 2025, lineups featuring Pritchard with Tatum and Brown posted a +5.8 NET rating— lower than Boston’s +9.6 average, but with a slight offensive bump that helped offset the defensive drop-off from missing one or both of Derrick White and Jrue Holiday.

The sample size is small, but there are encouraging signs that Pritchard can work next to the Jays in a bigger role.

What is Boston’s 2026 Starting Lineup?

With Tatum sidelined and several contributors gone, the Celtics enter 2026 engulfed in uncertainty.

Only two starters feel locked in: Jaylen Brown and Derrick White. Beyond that, all bets are on.

Given the lack of size across the roster, starting a traditional center feels essential. While small-ball lineups may be explored, Boston will likely lean on at least one big, and Neemias Queta is the reported frontrunner. 

One forward spot will also need to be filled, with Sam Hauser and Georges Niang expected to compete for the role. 

That leaves one vacancy, presumably at point guard, where Pritchard is set to compete with the newly acquired Anfernee Simons.

While Boston could also experiment with bigger lineups, the defensive limitations of a Pritchard-Simons backcourt make it unlikely the two will see extended minutes together. One of them will have to win the starting job outright.

The Anfernee Simons Dilemma

Simons came to Boston in exchange for Jrue Holiday in a trade with Portland, adding a proven scorer and playmaker to a retooling backcourt.

Simons has averaged 20.8 points and 4.8 assists over 213 career starts. He’s logged a usage rate north of 25% in each of the last four seasons, building a strong résumé as a lead guard already at just 26 years old.

Pritchard, by comparison, reached a career-high 18.8% usage rate in 2025, which ranked in just the 27th percentile among point guards.

But again, context is crucial. Simons is coming from a rebuilding Trail Blazers team where nobody on the roster was impeding his opportunities. Pritchard has grown within the system of a contender, where he’s had to adapt and earn trust in smaller roles.

The Celtics now have a decision to make.

Simons is on an expiring contract. If the Celtics want to evaluate his long-term fit and worthiness of an extension, starting him makes sense.

Pritchard is already locked in for another three seasons on one of the league’s most team-friendly deals (just over $23 million over the next three years). Promoting him could unlock even more value, all while maintaining long-term cap flexibility— a dire need given their current situation.

Is Pritchard the Long-Term Fit?

Boston has traditionally favored defensive-minded guards to pair with Tatum and Brown— such as Jrue Holiday and Marcus Smart.

Pritchard doesn’t bring their level of defense, but he’s significantly improved on that end while offering offensive versatility.

He’s an elite off-ball shooter, hitting 44.5% of his catch-and-shoot threes last season. He’s also one of the league’s most careful decision-makers, ranking in the 96th percentile or better in turnover rate among point guards in each of the past two seasons.

The question now is whether that skill set complements Tatum and Brown well enough to maximize both his value, along with the rest of the starting five. If not, he may still be best suited as the engine of the second unit.

Let the Competition Begin

There’s no need to name a starter today, with months until opening night and potential trades still looming. After all, Simons remains a prime candidate to be moved by Boston.

With title expectations dampened for now, Boston has an opportunity to experiment. Sticking rigidly to a single lineup or approach this early would be shortsighted.

Eventually, though, a decision will need to be made.

How the Celtics choose to use Pritchard in 2026 will say a lot about their view of his long-term fit. On a team-friendly contract, and coming off a career year, Pritchard is a wildcard— one who could shape Boston’s future more than most expect.

What’s clear already is that he’s no longer just a reserve. The electric change-of-pace guard will be essential to keeping Boston competitive while Tatum recovers, and maybe long after.