Look, a lot has changed in Boston. The Celtics’ dream season went up in smoke the moment Jayson Tatum hit the deck with a ruptured Achilles in the NBA’s Eastern Conference semis against the Knicks. Now, with their franchise cornerstone expected to miss the entire 2025 season, the vibes around the team are… complicated. Most fans are dialing back their expectations. The front office is clearly tightening the books. And some folks are even tossing around the word “tank.” But don’t include Payton Pritchard in that crowd.
While the basketball world starts counting the Celtics out, Pritchard is leaning in, loud and proud about what the goal still is. Spoiler alert: it’s not just making the playoffs.
“We’re definitely trying to be a playoff team,” Pritchard told Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston. “We’re trying to win the championship. It’s not even about the playoffs. We have one standard in Boston, and it’s to win the championship.”
Payton Pritchard Has High Expectations for Boston’s Upcoming NBA Season
That’s a truth bomb if anyone’s ever heard one, according to NESN. Gone are Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, both traded as Boston scrambled to duck under the second apron of the salary cap. Luke Kornet also walked in free agency. Tatum is shelved. So yeah, the roster is thinner, the talent pool is a little shallower, and expectations have dipped. But Pritchard doesn’t care. He’s not interested in excuses or “gap year” narratives. He’s talking rings. And honestly? He’s earned the right to speak like that. However, not many basketball fans on social media seem to believe the reigning Sixth Man of the Year. “Gonna be hilarious when they are a 4-5 seed,” wrote one on X.
Pritchard is coming off a breakout campaign where he snagged the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year Award, averaging 14.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.5 assists while shooting a blistering 47.2% from the field. With his spark-plug scoring, hustle, and steady leadership, Pritchard has gone from role player to legitimate backbone of this team.
Now, with Tatum sidelined and two All-Star-caliber veterans out of town, Pritchard steps into a new spotlight. Alongside Jaylen Brown and Derrick White, he’ll be one of the few veterans expected to set the tone on and off the court.
What is Next for The Boston Celtics?
And let’s be real: Boston fans aren’t exactly ready for rebuild talk. This is a franchise that measures success in banners. The idea of tanking for a lottery pick? It doesn’t exactly align with the Celtics’ history. Pritchard seems to get that on a molecular level.
So while sports pundits are projecting a step back, and rival fanbases are licking their chops, Pritchard is keeping that championship mindset alive in the locker room. And while that might sound like blind optimism, it’s also the kind of mentality that can keep a franchise from spiraling when adversity hits.
Of course, Brad Stevens and the front office aren’t done tweaking. There’s still some wiggle room for mid-tier free agents or savvy trade deadline moves to help reinforce the roster. But don’t expect Pritchard to sit around waiting for reinforcements. He’s already made it clear: the Celtics aren’t about to throw in the towel just because their best player is sidelined.
This season might not be the juggernaut ride fans hoped for, but with Payton Pritchard steering the ship, don’t expect Boston to go down quietly. He’s carrying that “championship or bust” mantra like a badge of honor. Because in Boston? There’s no such thing as a moral victory. Just rings, or regrets.
Sofia Bassett 
