Celtics could pivot to mystery target before Paul George trade is finalized

Some were left shaking their heads, wondering how the Celtics could have possibly traded Jaylen Brown to the 76ers for Paul George and some draft picks. And the truth is, if you’re sitting there waiting for an answer, it’s not coming. There’s no big secret to be revealed that will magically explain the logic for Boston.

They think Brown’s contract is a problem, that he’s a great volume scorer but doesn’t impact and drive winning enough to justify his supermax, and that they wanted to reset and retool around Jayson Tatum. They wanted him gone, and they think this is the best deal they’re going to get. 

You may not like it or agree with it, and sure, there’s a lot more that went into the decision. But ultimately, it’s that simple.

However, despite the lack of rumors and buzz about the team making more moves, the Celtics may not be done. Not with this offseason, and maybe not even with this trade. The deal can’t be official until July 6th, when the league’s moratorium ends and transactions can become official.

Jaylen Brown/Paul George trade not official until July 6th

That means that there’s still time for this deal to be amended or expanded, and for all we know, Brad Stevens and the Celtics are working overtime to reroute PG, and perhaps more, to another destination. Not to put on the detective hat, but Brown’s social media post acknowledged Philly, and his former teammates have commented. JB also went on Twitch and talked about the trade and his new team.

George, on the other hand, did not mention Boston or the Celtics in his farewell message, has made no comments about his new home, and has not been referenced by any of his new Celtics teammates. This could be absolutely nothing. But in this age of social media, it certainly could be something.

There’s a chance this deal isn’t done yet and that Boston will flip George’s salary and perhaps more players or picks for something they truly covet. Maybe PG is what they covet, and they’re happy with the 10-time All-Star despite his age, contract, and injury history. If he can stay on the court, he should be a good fit and a solid addition.

Celtics can flip PG to third team for different prize

But the Celtics may be thinking much bigger. Perhaps some of the deals they struck out on with Brown are more palatable now for other teams, as they can get off the PG contract more quickly and the Cs have more draft picks to play with.

For example, the Pelicans may not have wanted to give up Trey Murphy III and draft picks to acquire Brown. But they aren’t going to compete for a title this season, so maybe they’d take on George and picks while sending Trey to Boston along with another contract they don’t want, like Jordan Poole or Dejounte Murray.

The Cs could come out with the young player they want in Murphy, a veteran on a big, but not gigantic contract (Poole has a $34+ million expiring while Murray has 2/$$63m+ with 2027-28 being a player option), and relatively pick neutral or pick positive by the end. Murray or Poole could be useful, and they’d also be much easier to flip than a $50+ million deal.

That’s just one iteration of a possible deal because we’ve seen the Celtics frequently connected to Murphy, but usually, the Celtics are working in the shadows, making moves that others don’t even see. 

Kevin Durant? Jimmy Butler? Jrue Holiday? Someone else?

If the Warriors don’t see a path to Anthony Davis, they could get desperate and take on PG for Jimmy Butler’s expiring contract and a pick or two. The Rockets need a change and could be considering a move that lands Kevin Durant in Boston with George, and picks likely going to another team. The Blazers roster still makes little sense, and while they didn’t want to pay for Brown, a PG swap for Jrue Holiday could make sense.

These are just a few ideas I came up with now, but the point is, there are potential moves to still be made off of this deal. The market for Brown was unappealing, but using some picks to turn George into multiple players might be more palatable around the league.

Or maybe not. Maybe George will be a Celtic this season, and that’s that. But the lack of reception for the future Hall-of-Famer certainly has my guard up, and I won’t be shocked if we see even more fireworks on this July 4th weekend.

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