Understandably, virtually every conversation about the Celtics regarding their blockbuster trade this offseason has been with a focus on Jaylen Brown. Why did they do it? Why now? Why only this return? Why to Philadelphia? And on and on it goes.
And while clearly there was a real motivation to trade JB, to move that contract, and to get as many assets in return as possible to create the most optionality that the world has ever seen, the Celtics were also excited to bring in Paul George. PG rarely even gets brought up when the trade is mentioned, except in pointing to how he’s “washed” and how his contract is basically just as big as Brown’s.
Celtics are excited about adding Paul George
The reality of the situation is that the Celtics still think George is quite good, and the way he played in the playoffs, specifically against Boston, was a big motivator in the team going out and trading for him months later. In a recent article from The Athletic, Jay King referenced the glowing reviews he was hearing about PG from the Celtics out at summer league:
“In Las Vegas, the Celtics sounded convinced the nine-time All-Star still has some high-level basketball left to contribute. During conversations at summer league, several people within the organization brought up just how well George played against Boston in the playoffs.”
And why shouldn’t they think that? He’s 36 years old and struggled to stay on the court in Philly. His numbers have also been steadily declining for years. He’s five years removed from his last All-NBA appearance. He was suspended for 25 games last season for violating the league’s drug policy and barely topped 30 minutes per game last season.
And you know what? That’s all okay. The Celtics don’t need another All-NBA player next to Jayson Tatum. They need a steady sidekick who fits into the team, plays his role, and is content being the 2nd, 3rd, or maybe even 4th option. And that’s exactly what George can provide.
Paul George should fit perfectly in Boston
He knows where he stands on this team and in this league. He’s hungry to win a ring, and he should fit in perfectly with the Celtics’ scheme. He’s still a great defender and an elite high-volume shooter. He can do a lot more, but it’s almost a bonus at this point. We don’t need him to be an alpha, to run the offense, or to guard the opponents’ best player. We just need him to fit in and play his role. And he should be more than capable.
The Celtics will also have the luxury of being able to rest him during the regular season and keep him fresh as they’re absolutely loaded on the wing with Tatum, Jordan Walsh, Hugo Gonzalez, Baylor Scheierman, Sam Hauser, Ron Harper Jr., and Dillon Mitchell all competing for minutes, along with George.
And as long as he’s fresh for the playoffs, we just saw what he can do, as he was a thorn in Boston’s side over the seven-game series, averaging 17.4 points per game and shooting 55% from three while doing a great job guarding Tatum and Brown.
So yes, this trade was mostly about Jaylen Brown. That’s how it will be remembered forever, and that’s fair based on how incredible JB was over the course of his 10 years in Boston. But we also shouldn’t forget that the Celtics got back a damn good player in return.
Add us as a preferred source on Google