Naturally, expectations are muted for the Celtics going into next season. They had to overhaul their roster and they’re expected to lose four rotation players from last year’s team. Jayson Tatum is also out for the foreseeable future due to his ruptured Achilles tendon. So no longer are there title expectations like the past few years.
But Payton Pritchard doesn’t necessarily want to hear that. In a conversation with NBC Sports Boston’s Chris Forsberg, Pritchard spoke about how they’re still aiming for the playoffs and beyond.
“We’re definitely trying to be a playoff team,” Pritchard said. “We’re trying to win a championship. It’s not even about playoffs. We have one standard in Boston — and it’s to win a championship. Everybody in that locker room will have the goal of competing for a championship. We’ll do everything in our power necessary to go for that. That’s what they should know.”
Pritchard is coming off a career-best season where he was named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year. He averaged 14.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game as a flamethrower off the bench for the Celtics. The guard is on one of the best value contracts in the NBA after signing as he enters the second year of a four-year, $30 million extension.
It’s unclear what Pritchard’s role will be, though he’ll likely have an important one regardless of if he comes off the bench or not. The Celtics dealt for Anfernee Simons in the Jrue Holiday trade, so Simons or Pritchard could conceivably be a starter. But they fit into similar roles as score-first, smaller guards, so it’ll be interesting to see how the Celtics utilize them throughout next season.
Regardless, the C’s enter a transition phase. No longer are Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kornet on the roster, plus Al Horford is expected to sign with the Warriors. That’ll put more responsibility on Pritchard, Derrick White and Jaylen Brown as the Celtics see what they can muster with no Tatum.
“After your second contract or you start your second contract, then you start to get looked at like you’ve been there,” Pritchard said. “But I would love to stay here for as long as possible. Boston is an unbelievable city to play for and a great organization.”
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