Jaylen Brown's departure creates a void. The Boston Celtics will rely on a committee to fill it. But no one may benefit more from the opportunities it creates than Payton Pritchard.
In his seventh season, there's a strong case for him becoming Boston's second-leading scorer. His 17.0 points per game were the third most on the team in the 2025-26 campaign. That was despite shifting to a familiar role off the bench as they prepared for Jayson Tatum's return.
The Celtics must decide the best way to manage their wings, where they're overflowing with talent. Even so, there's a compelling argument for Pritchard to return to the first unit.
But the prospect of the former Oregon star starting is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to why the 28-year-old guard could blossom into Boston's second-leading scorer.
Payton Pritchard's usage rate sets the stage for a scoring breakout
Even if the former Sixth Man of the Year comes off the bench, he'll have one of the team's highest usage rates.
He trailed only Tatum and Brown in that category in the playoffs while anchoring the second unit. He projects to be in the top three in that department this year.
Given how productive he is while bringing the ball up, he could absolutely have the Celtics' second-highest usage rate behind their star forward.
Bringing up the rock pic.twitter.com/gE8n27MfnR
— ALL NBA Podcast (@ALLCITY_NBA) July 29, 2026
Pritchard starting and shouldering that responsibility seems like a great way to maximize the offense and put Derrick White in his optimal role.
Pritchard's isolation game could unlock another scoring leap
The six-year veteran is coming off a campaign in which he generated the third-most isolation points per possession [minimum 60 games and an average of at least one such field-goal attempt], per NBA Stats.
His combination of quickness and tight handles makes it incredibly hard to stay in front of him. He also has excellent contact balance while driving. That allows him to burrow into the paint.
Once he gets there, he does a great job of playing off two feet. Even if he finds himself among the trees, his craftiness creates the daylight he needs to get his shot off. A deft touch takes care of the rest.
Payton Pritchard is a menace 😈 pic.twitter.com/nk6oTIxeDA
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) April 10, 2026
Pritchard produced 5.9 points per game in the paint last season. That projects to rise with an increase in usage rate.
Payton Pritchard and Jayson Tatum pairing elevates both
Another reason to believe Pritchard will finish this year as Boston's second-leading scorer is how effective the tandem of him and Tatum is.
They registered 46.1 points in 18.5 minutes together last season. The duo generated a 123.2 offensive rating.
Pritchard's a handful to deal with in isolation. When he's working in concert with the Celtics' best player, it can quickly become a nightmare scenario for the defense.
For instance, if the former is coming off a screen from Tatum, his blend of sharpshooting and speed can put the opposition in a bind. Getting detached from a four-time All-NBA First Team selection is a sin. Hedging places considerable stress on the defense, and switching often invites a mismatch.
But not wanting to stray from Tatum heightens the challenge of containing Pritchard. It increases the likelihood of either surrendering a numbers advantage or seeing him produce points in the paint.
It's a potent pairing that strengthens the belief that Pritchard will finish this season as the Celtics' second-leading scorer.
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