With Jayson Tatum sidelined for most — if not all — of the 2025-26 NBA season, many expect the Boston Celtics to take a step back. The team also traded away Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis and lost veteran Al Horford in free agency, key pieces to their 2024 championship squad. Having spent the offseason making the roster younger and cheaper, there's added doubt surrounding Boston's title chances.
Payton Pritchard isn’t buying it.
The reigning Sixth Man of the Year, who helped the Celtics capture the 2024 championship, said the franchise’s mindset hasn’t changed.
“They shouldn’t be in our locker room if they don’t have that mindset,” Pritchard said. “There’s only one mindset. There’s only one mindset of the City of Boston, and it’s you win championships here. So, it’s not even playoff-bound. We’re going for a championship.
“Does that mean that’ll necessarily happen? I don’t know. We’ll find out this year. But that is the goal in mind and we’re trying to work every day to try to reach that. So, guys got to elevate their games in all areas and what a perfect opportunity this year to showcase that.”
Pritchard enjoyed a breakout season last year, averaging 14.3 points, 3.5 assists and 0.9 steals per game while shooting better than 40% from 3-point range.
With the offseason addition of Anfernee Simons, Pritchard is expected to remain in his bench-scoring role. But with Tatum out, more shots could be coming his way — and so could another chance to prove Boston’s title window remains open.