The Boston Celtics shockingly traded Jaylen Brown for Paul George, two first-round draft picks, and two second-round picks. Many fans questioned the deal after the full details were announced. Brown just finished sixth in MVP voting and was second-team All-NBA. PG was viewed as having one of the worst contracts in the NBA, but the Celtics wanted someone who fit better in head coach Joe Mazzulla’s system. It will quickly be clear that George does just that.
Boston was fourth in 3-point attempts, fourth in pick-and-roll frequency, and prides itself on playing elite defense. Winning the math edge is a key part of Mazzulla’s plan, so the Celtics traded Brown for a better shooter, defender, and elite pick-and-roll playmaker.
Nobody is saying George is the better player. The Celtics got four draft picks in the trade for that reason. Brad Stevens was targeting a better fit that should help Boston win games by maximizing their scheme.
Paul George is a better shooter than Jaylen Brown
3-point shooting has two crucial measures to a team’s success. Percentage and volume matter. A player can shoot 45 percent from 3-point range, but the impact is not that large if he only takes one per game. George is a career 38.4 percent 3-point shooter on 6.8 attempts per game. Over the last decade, those numbers have climbed to 39.2 percent on 7.8 each night.
Over the last three years, Brown has made 34.2 percent from 3-point range on 5.7 attempts per game. He took the second-most long twos in the NBA last season and connected on just 43.3 percent of those. Mazzulla and the Celtics would love to trade some of those inefficient twos for threes.
49.7 percent of PG’s shots last season were 3-pointers, and just 28.3 percent were from ten feet to the 3-point line. Brown took 26.2 percent 3-pointers and 31.6 percent beyond ten feet to the 3-point line. The trade got Boston a better and more willing 3-point shooter to flank Jayson Tatum.
Paul George is outstanding in the pick-and-roll
The Celtics scored 0.92 points per possession out of the pick-and-roll last season, which was the third-best mark in the NBA. High volume and elite success put Boston on par with the Lakers and Thunder as the most successful pick-and-roll teams in the NBA.
Brown got 6.4 possessions per game as a pick-and-roll ball-handler and converted at 0.93 points per possession. That just missed being in the NBA’s top 30 percent for efficiency.
George didn’t have the volume, but he produced 1.18 points per possession in these scenarios, which was the third-best mark in the NBA among players with at least 2.0 possessions per game behind only Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Trae Young. PG has long been an elite pick-and-roll ball-handler, and the Celtics may tap into his success even more.
Paul George has bought into a 3-and-D role
PG produced a 1.3 defensive EPM last season, which was significantly better than Brown’s negative-0.2. George is two inches taller and has committed more on this end of the floor. JB carries a larger offensive load. Fans know he can play lockdown defense when he wants, but George is an elite steals creator and consistent defensive contributor.
Coach Mazzulla wants a 3-and-D forward flanking Tatum. George offers everything Boston desires. Clearly, Stevens and the front office thought the pairing of Tatum and Brown had run its course. JB was Finals MVP in 2024 and an elite contributor. There is no debating that, but George fits what Boston wants to do better.
The Boston Celtics are clearly leaning fully into Joe Mazzulla ball with this trade. Paul George is the perfect player for the head coach’s system, and fans will quickly see that. There are worries about his age and injury history, but the Celtics wanted the superior fit and made the bold trade to get it.
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