What Jalen Brunson is doing for the Knicks has teams all across the NBA shaking their collective heads, wondering how such a great player basically slipped through the cracks. Seeing a player go from a backup with one team to a generational star for another may be a bit of an aberration, but there are likely other players around the NBA who could blossom into stars if only they were in the perfect situation.
One of those players may well be hiding on the Celtics right now, and that’s Payton Pritchard. Pritchard has proven himself as a super sixth man, and his role has grown every year in Boston. He’s a fringe member of the core now, but there’s reason to think he could offer even more.
Brunson and Pritchard have a lot in common
Much like Brunson, Pritchard dominated at the college level, but was considered too old and small to appeal to the NBA. They both play with massive chips on their shoulders and seem like they are out to prove their doubters wrong, playing each minute as if their careers and livelihoods depend on it.
Whenever he has been thrust into a bigger role, Payton has risen to the occasion and has full confidence and comfort with the ball in his hands. He’s a natural point guard and can get to the rim, score in the paint, create for himself and others, and knock down threes. He’s not big, but much like Brunson, he’s great at using his body and his footwork to gain advantages and abuse much bigger players.
They have a lot of similarities in their offensive bags, with the main difference now being that Brunson is the focal point of the Knicks' offense, while Pritchard is more of a complementary piece behind the Jays. This isn’t to suggest that Payton should suddenly become the number one option while Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown take a backseat, but the Celtics could benefit by striking a better balance.
Pritchard needs to have a bigger role for Celtics next season
Empowering Pritchard to play a more natural role as the starting point guard, and the one who sets the offense and starts the actions, would not only benefit him, but would also allow JT and JB to excel off the ball, and set them up for much easier scoring and playmaking opportunities, while Pritchard can dominate with isolations and running pick-and-rolls, where he’s a natural.
Another similarity to Brunson is that Pritchard also has a great knack for the clutch. Putting the ball in his hands at the end of quarters has already proven to be a great strategy, and there’s no reason to think that can’t translate to end-of-game situations, whether he’s ultimately the one taking the shots or not.
Payton has passed every test thrown his way with flying colors. He’s a dog who plays much bigger than his frame and competes on defense, perhaps even more capable on that end than Brunson. The Celtics are going to have to extend him soon, and there’s zero reason to believe he isn’t worth an extension and an elevated role. The fix the Celtics need is one that’s already on the roster; it just has to be optimized.
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