Which Celtics player is most likely to win an NBA award this season?

The answer should be obvious: Payton Pritchard.

It will be difficult for Brad Stevens or Joe Mazzulla to repeat as Executive of the Year or Coach of the Year, respectively. And this is looking at individual awards. That means, as good a chance as Derrick White has to earn an All-Defensive Team selection for a fourth time, it doesn't factor into this discussion.

Of course, that comes with a condition: If the former Sixth Man of the Year is a fixture in the Boston Celtics' starting lineup this season, then remove his name from the running. In that case, he won't add that trophy to his mantle for a second time.

However, there is a compelling case for him to anchor the second unit again. If that happens, it's fair to consider him the odds-on favorite to take home this hardware. Pritchard is good enough and will have the opportunity to finish this season as Boston's second-leading scorer even if he isn't in their starting lineup.

Who else might win the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year Award?

Pritchard's toughest competition would likely come from Dylan Harper. Like the Celtics' guard, he's another player who's overqualified to come off the bench.

However, the San Antonio Spurs will probably choose between paying De'Aaron Fox $49.5 million while having him in the second unit or having Harper as their sixth man. Their financial commitment to Fox, coupled with how well he played before injuring his ankle, are reasons to believe his younger teammate may not be in the starting lineup.

If Pritchard is Boston's sixth man, he'll also have to fend off Ajay Mitchell for this award. The Oklahoma City Thunder guard is coming off a breakout season. He averaged 13.6 points, 3.6 assists, and 1.2 steals. He finished in the top five in the voting for this honor in 2025-26. Mitchell showcased how talented a scorer he is. That skill, more than any other, gets the voters' attention.

Pritchard's former teammate, Anfernee Simons, now a member of the Philadelphia 76ers, is another contender for Sixth Man of the Year. The latter can fit nicely alongside Tyrese Maxey or VJ Edgecombe. He'll also provide the Sixers with some needed shooting off the bench.

Ayo Dosunmu is another name to note in this category. After arriving from the Chicago Bulls, he stuffed the stat sheet for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Dosunmu averaged 14.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.0 steals. The acquisition of LaMelo Ball signals that the former will be Minnesota's sixth man, making him a top candidate to win this award.

What about Jayson Tatum's MVP chances?

Yes, Tatum now has a roster tailored to him. It's one of the reasons to be bullish about Boston's outlook this season. However, when it comes to vying for the MVP Award, the competition is too fierce for this author to forecast him as this year's recipient.

Tatum must contend with the likes of Victor Wembanyama, Luka Doncic, and Anthony Edwards. Voter fatigue could keep Shai Gilgeous-Alexander from winning the NBA's Most Valuable Player honor for a third straight season. It will also make it more difficult for Nikola Jokic to capture the MVP for a fourth time. However, those are two more prominent names that the Celtics' star must outshine to earn this award.

There's also a chance that Giannis Antetokounmpo delivers an MVP-caliber campaign in his first year with the Miami Heat. If Tatum can lead his team past them and to a top seed in the standings, it strengthens his case. However, the field is too deep for this author to project that he'll add this accolade to his resume this year.

So, if any Celtic takes home individual hardware for their performance this season, Pritchard remaining as Boston's sixth man is the scenario with the best chance of doing so.

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