Payton Pritchard remains confident the Celtics will compete for a championship despite losing key players like Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis this offseason.
Boston Celtics are heading into the 2025-26 NBA season with a much different roster—and Payton Pritchard isn’t backing down from the challenge.
Payton Pritchard
Payton Pritchard
Position: PG
Age: 27
Height: 188 cm
Weight: 93 kg
Birth place: Oregon, United States of America
The reigning Sixth Man of the Year is one of the few key pieces remaining from last season’s championship squad. After an offseason full of movement, Pritchard is embracing a bigger role and has no doubts about what the team is still aiming for.
“We're definitely trying to be a playoff team. We're trying to win a championship,” Pritchard said on the Celtics Talk Podcast. “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. And we will do everything in our power necessary to go for that. That’s what (the fans) should know.”
Boston’s summer has been anything but quiet. Jrue Holiday was traded to the Trail Blazers. Kristaps Porzingis ended up in Atlanta. Luke Kornet signed with the Spurs.
Credit AP - Scanpix
Al Horford remains a free agent. And Jayson Tatum—arguably the franchise’s centerpiece—suffered a ruptured Achilles, which is expected to sideline him for the entire season.
Despite all the changes, the Celtics still expect to compete at the highest level. And Pritchard, entering his fifth NBA season, is stepping into a leadership role with that mindset.
“I mean, it definitely sucks,” he said of losing key teammates. “You become brothers with your teammates, you’re with them all the time. So, definitely going to miss them. It’s part of the business side so you have to move on.
“But you see a guy like Luke (Kornet) get paid, you know, you have to be happy for him for all the work he's put in to earn that.
“I'm personally really going to miss Jrue. Jrue’s like a big brother, somebody I learned a lot from. One of the best teammates that I've ever had, and competitors. He’s the reason why we won a championship, so going to miss him a lot.
“Obviously, KP (Kristaps Porzingis), the type of person he is. Boston fans loved him, and a heck of a talent. We're definitely going to miss those guys but it's part of the NBA. We have to regroup, got to find new identities, new people need to step up and we got to get back to that level.”
Credit Getty Images via AFP - Scanpix
With more minutes and responsibility available, Pritchard is ready to show he can take another leap. He’s coming off a breakout year, posting career highs across the board: 14.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 47.2% shooting from the field.
“I feel like everybody should be excited,” Pritchard added. “There’s a lot of opportunities across the board. For me, personally, I'm excited every year.”
“Because it’s an opportunity to prove myself again, to show that I can take another step. And that's my goal every year. I'm definitely hungry and motivated this year, been working really hard. So I'm excited.”
The Celtics have made the playoffs 17 times in the last 18 seasons. Even with their roster reshaped and Tatum out, Boston isn’t lowering its standards—and neither is Pritchard.
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