Yes, I know that Paul George is far from the player that he used to be. I know that his star doesn’t shine as brightly as Jaylen Brown’s does these days. We’re talkin about a guy who is in his late 30s, in the twilight of his career, and has struggled to stay on the court the last few seasons, let alone sniff an All-NBA team.
But still, this is a future Hall of Famer whom the Celtics have coveted and been connected to for years, and when the team’s official social media accounts posted a video showing him working out at the Auerbach Center on Monday, donning Celtics garb, I got pretty damn excited.
Your first look at PG 👀 pic.twitter.com/AHs3qr9lfM
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) September 14, 2026
Haters will say I’m coping. They’ll point out that the post in question is a 35-second clip of PG making uncontested shots or going against coaches. But you know what? I don’t care.
It's time to get excited about Paul George
As fans of the Boston Celtics, it’s time to collectively move on from the initial shock and possible horror of the trade and get excited about George and what he can do for the team. We just saw in the playoffs how effective he can still be, and while nobody is expecting him to be the MVP candidate he once was, he can still be a very good complementary player for Jayson Tatum and the rest of this roster.
All of the focus has been on the trade itself, the return for the 2024 Finals MVP, and how PG has been hurt and suspended in recent years, and how there are still two seasons left on his max contract. But seeing him on the court really is surreal and makes you appreciate another all-time great coming to the most iconic franchise in the history of the league.
Better late than never for PG-13 in Boston
When George was coming up with the Pacers, I was convinced he was going to be the next great superstar, and somebody who could finally dethrone LeBron James as king of the Eastern Conference. At the time, I would have killed to have PG in Boston.
But then, George suffered a career-altering injury while playing for Team USA; the Celtics drafted two superstars, Brown and Jayson Tatum, and the trajectory of the conference completely shifted. Rumors about PG as a trade target persisted, but it never made sense for Danny Ainge or Brad Stevens to pull the trigger.
And time and again, it proved to be the right decision. The organization’s patience and discipline paid off with a championship in 2024. But now, Stevens and his crew, one of the most trustworthy front offices in the NBA, have decided that now is the time to strike, and after 16 years in the league, Paul George is finally a Boston Celtic. It barely feels real, but it’s reality. And it’s time to embrace it.
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