The immediate response when the Boston Celtics swapped Jaylen Brown for Paul George was that they made a huge mistake. Even those who were optimistic about George believed that he was more of a trade asset than anything else. Well, after six games into his tenure with the team, it's clear that Boston acquired him believing he was going to be a huge asset.
George's first impression as a Celtic couldn't have gone better, as his 38 points were almost enough for them to topple Detroit on their home floor. He hasn't matched that scoring output since. In fact, he hasn't even come close. And yet, the returns on George have been nothing but positive.
George hasn't necessarily regained his All-Star form, but he's looked so much better in Boston than he ever did in Philadelphia. A bigger role has helped with that, but besides being Jayson Tatum's No. 2, George has effectively led the Celtics when Tatum has been on the bench.
Even more impressive is how strongly his abilities as a defensive playmaker have stood out. He's not just shutting guys down, but taking the ball away from them. Does that erase the notion that he's overpaid? Not at all, but because he has been so impressive all-around, no one cares.
By extension, that also means George should not be seen as a trade asset. It's not just what he can still do, but how well the team plays when he's on the floor. It's why, even if there are better players out there, trading someone like George, who fits the system perfectly, should not go anywhere unless an indisputable upgrade who would fit better becomes available.
Last night was more proof of this
Boston lost their second game of the season last night, but it had "scheduled loss" written all over it. It was a back-to-back, on the road, and George didn't play. The Celtics losing the game by 16 is a little deceptive. Despite their immense shooting struggles, they were very much in that game until the fourth quarter, when it started to spiral.
That can simply be attributed to them running out of gas, which happens. They were also facing one of the league's best teams in Houston. Moreover, George's absence loomed large. A 16-point deficit could have easily been overcome with George's presence, given how cold everyone was shooting-wise from the floor.
His defense also could have come in handy when Alperen Sengun was going off. Maybe he wouldn't have stopped Sengun, but it may not have been as easy for him to score at will like he did last night.
George is going to miss some games this season. Boston is understandably going to be conservative with him. Maybe not to the same degree that they were with Al Horford, but still conservative. That's going to be a challenge, but it also shows that he should be here to stay.
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