The Boston Celtics are betting on Payton Pritchard taking the kind of leap Jalen Brunson made to help them remain competitive after trading Jaylen Brown .
The New York Knicks ' 2026 NBA Championship has shown the viability of a small guard leading a team to a title, as Brunson was named Finals MVP.
It seems that the Knicks' proof-of-concept will now be put to the test by the Celtics with Pritchard.
Yahoo Sports' Tom Haberstroh revealed that the Celtics' trade of Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers aims to open up more opportunities for Pritchard and see if he can take a Brunson-esque leap.
"The Celtics trading [Jaylen] Brown is a bet that [Payton] Pritchard is their in-house version of New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, a diminutive player who didn't fully show his talents until Luka Doncic was out of the picture."
Brunson averaged 16.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 4.8 assists in his last season with the Mavericks behind Doncic before averaging 24.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 6.2 assists in his first season with the Knicks.
Pritchard averaged 17.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 5.2 assists last season as a key member of the Celtics roster.
Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images
He stepped up big-time in the 10 games he played without Brown this season, averaging 25.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 7.0 assists while shooting 51.3% from the field and 44.4% from three.
If Pritchard can take that sort of a leap next season with Brown gone, the Celtics won't really miss the offensive contributions that left the franchise. Pritchard is also a very efficient scorer, so the Celtics might receive an analytical boost with him in a primary role now that Brown is gone.
Paul George will likely factor in as a rotational wing if Pritchard is earmarked for a bigger role, as Tatum and Derrick White will also be key offensive pieces.
If Pritchard can prove he's a star like Brunson in his increased opportunities, the Celtics already have the perfect set-up to highlight his skills.
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