Paul George’s Value to the Celtics Depends on Free Agency
There are a lot of reasons for Danny Ainge to be tentative about trading for Paul George
It is tough to justify the Boston Celtics spending assets on just one year of Paul George under their current set up. George would certainly elevate the Celtics to the brink of contention, but without another max contract free agent it is not worth the risk.
Brining in George along with a max contract free agent completely changes the landscape. Adding two stars may not being the Celtics all the way up to the talent level of the Golden State Warriors, but it could be worth the risk if the Celtics can steal a title from the supposed unbeatable team.
George alone is not enough to buy into a win now for one season. George, with another max free agent, on top of Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley and Al Horford finally gives the Celtics the kind of talent that is needed to compete with the utter dominance of the Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Celtics knew they would be at a cross roads this summer, and the trade with the Philadelphia 76ers amplifies it. The Celtics need to decide between saving the assets for the future, and trading them away to win now. Ainge has built up an unprecedented collection, and his career will be on the line if he decides to use them the wrong way.
More from Hardwood Houdini
- Boston Celtics’ two-way contract decision will be made after training camp
- Proposed trade sends Boston Celtics playoff killer to the Cs from rival
- ‘Face of Germany’s stunning run’ in FIBA World Cup not the only ex-Boston Celtics player to win gold
- Proposed Boston Celtics trade target pitched for reunion with fired coach
- Battle For Banner 18: Will Boston Celtics battle historical foe in 2024 Finals?
Going out and trading for George, even if he is on a discount because of his free agency intentions, is only one part of a win now process. If Ainge is going to go all in to win this season, George is the exact kind of player they need.
That being said, Ainge will not pull the trigger unless he is certain that he is going to assemble a team that can be the culmination of this rebuild.
The worst thing that could happen is if Ainge tries to find the middle ground. If Ainge decides to invest some assets into win now, while preserving some for the future, the Celtics will not be good enough to beat the Warriors, and they will lose much of their future edge.
With how incredible the competition is now, George is only valuable to the Celtics if this is the year that he is going for everything. Even if the Celtics traded for George, and signed a max contract free agent, that still may not be enough, but those are the kinds of risks worth taking.
Playing it safe is the route Ainge will probably take, because that is what he has done throughout his career.
That being said, if the timing worked out, and the Celtics knew that they were going to sign that max contract free agent, then Ainge may not get another better opportunity to use his assets.
The Celtics are probably one piece away form contending by normal standards. If Ainge has an opportunity to add two superstars to this team this summer, then those are the kind of opportunities that will be regretted more than anything else if they are missed.
Without another win now piece, George would not be worth any significant first round draft pick, or any significant starter. The Celtics could be making a sideways move with just George, while throwing away so much of the brilliance that has been achieved.
The only way the Celtics can feel confident in their talent level is if they bring in those two pieces. If that is the case, then it would be hard to argue that Ainge would ever have another opportunity to have that much talent together. Even if it is just for one year, the Celtics should be willing to sacrifice some of their future if it means giving LeBron James, by far, the toughest opponent he has faced in almost a decade in the East.
Chances are the Indiana Pacers will want to make a trade before the draft, and therefore before free agency. If Ainge does not get an opportunity to bring in that additional talent, then there is far too much uncertainty to invest anything in George.
A lot of things are falling into place to give Ainge the opportunity to trade for George, but Ainge is not going to throw away his plans because he thinks there is an outside chance that this core with George can be a contending team.
Next: What the Celtics Could Offer for Paul George
Ainge’s priority is to make sure that the culmination of this rebuold results in the most talent possible. Even if the Celtics hit on all their draft picks, it is hard to imagine them amassing more talent than if they added George and Griffin/Hayward. If, however, just one more piece is added, then the better option for Ainge to maximize his talent will be to stay patient, and wait for a better opportunity to cash in, preferably not on a rent a player either.