Payton Pritchard's Starting Job Looks Wide Open After Brown Trade
Boston's reigning Sixth Man of the Year is the obvious starter with Jaylen Brown gone — but Pritchard's own history says nothing's guaranteed.
A locked starting role plus free-throw push could spike his 2026-27 value.
- Started 47 of first 48 games last season (2025-26)
- Won 2025 Sixth Man of the Year off the bench
- Brown traded to Philly for Paul George
- Two years left on team-friendly deal
- Wants more free-throw trips in 2026-27
With Jaylen Brown shipped to Philadelphia, the lazy read is that Payton Pritchard slides into a full-time starting job next season. And on paper it makes sense — Brown was a 45.2 fantasy-points-per-game force last season (2025-26, actual), Boston's clear No. 5 in our rankings at the position, and somebody has to soak up those minutes and shots.
But Pritchard's own recent history complicates the story. He started 47 of Boston's first 48 games in 2025-26 before ceding his spot to Baylor Scheierman ahead of Jayson Tatum's return, a move designed to patch the second-unit scoring lost when Anfernee Simons was traded for Nikola Vucevic. So the guy who won Sixth Man of the Year in 2025 has already shown Boston will move him around when the roster math demands it.
Where The Minutes Go
The wrinkle is Paul George, the veteran Boston got back in the Brown deal. If PG13 starts, he fills Brown's spot and Pritchard's path to the first unit narrows. If George becomes the bench punch instead, Pritchard's the obvious opening-lineup pick. Either way, this isn't the clean promotion some are assuming.
In a recent sit-down, Pritchard said his personal goal for 2026-27 is getting to the free-throw line more, while the team wants to make sharper reads without losing its hard-nosed identity. He framed the formula simply: you win regular-season games playing hard, and playoff games playing harder and smarter. He hasn't been a foul-drawing specialist to date, so that's a real swing skill to watch.
The Fantasy Angle
For context, Scheierman posted just 13.2 fantasy points per game across 77 games last season (2025-26, actual) and sits at #319 in our rankings — he's not the threat to Pritchard's role that he was mid-season. The bigger question is George. More free-throw attempts would juice Pritchard's efficiency numbers regardless of whether he starts, and with two years left on a cheap contract, he's motivated to produce.
The move for fantasy managers: buy low now while the role uncertainty keeps his price soft. If the George-off-the-bench scenario plays out, Pritchard's a locked starter with usage upside and a personal mandate to attack the rim. Grab him before training-camp clarity pushes his cost up.
