Could Payton Pritchard Elevate Playmaking Skills For Celtics?

Payton Pritchard, the winner of last season’s NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award, is now looking to elevate his game and make an even more substantial impact this year.

Pritchard might need to step up into a starting role this season, and NBC Sports Boston’s Sean McGuire wants to see Pritchard become more of a playmaker.

“Pritchard figures to be in line for a spot in the starting lineup, and with that, he’ll need to elevate himself as a playmaker alongside Jaylen Brown and Derrick White,” McGuire wrote Tuesday.

The Boston Celtics made a trade this offseason, sending starting point guard Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers for guard Anfernee Simons and two second-round picks.

Simons and Pritchard will compete in training camp for the starting guard position alongside White. If Pritchard secures the job, he must elevate his playmaking skills to get more players involved in the offense.

Pritchard averaged 14.3 points and 3.5 assists in 80 games last season. He must boost his assist numbers due to the team’s lack of playmaking with Holiday gone and forward Jayson Tatum sidelined by a torn Achilles tendon.