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Paul George could follow Chris Paul's Suns path with the Celtics

George is overpaid for his services, but maybe there's a scenario where this union works out for both him and the Celtics.
May 2, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8) celebrates after dunking on Boston Celtics center Luka Garza (52) during the first quarter of game seven of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images
May 2, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8) celebrates after dunking on Boston Celtics center Luka Garza (52) during the first quarter of game seven of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The terms "overpaid" and "high quality" aren't always mutually exclusive. Look no further than Paul George. He's definitely paid more than what he's worth, but that overshadows that the gas tank is far from empty with him. He showed that against Boston with the Philadelphia 76ers in the postseason.

In all fairness, it doesn't erase the fact that he is paid like a superstar when he is likely to play an Al Horford- or Jrue Holiday-like role in Boston at best. However, what George could do is go down a similar path to the one that Chris Paul took when the Phoenix Suns acquired him.

Paul was also viewed as somewhat overpaid, though he had proven in Oklahoma City that he still had a good amount of All-Star basketball left in him. After he took the Suns to the finals, he opted out of his deal with them and signed another extension, but a team-friendly one where he went from being paid over $40 million to a longer-term contract where he was paid less annually but still made a good chunk of change.

NBA cap guru Keith Smith laid this out when discussing George's place on the team, though he didn't mention CP3 directly.

The prevailing theory on George is that he's a trade chip, and while that's understandable, there is a scenario where, if this trade works out,

George has already helped the Celtics, so who's to say he won't do it again?

George has already shown his willingness to help the Celtics, as waiving his trade kicker helped the team save enough money to fall below the luxury tax (which was even more impressive given that he lost over $10 million from his suspension this past season).

So we already have evidence that George is a team player when it comes to the salary cap. It might be a little extreme to expect him to pass up on almost $60 million, but he might be down to it if he gets a Paul-like contract on the back end of his NBA career. PG-13 has already made plenty of money throughout his NBA career (excluding sponsorships), so as long as it's reasonable, he could be a long-term factor in Boston, where no one would take issue with what he's getting paid.

George does not possess the same talent that Jaylen Brown does, but if his skill set translates into winning basketball and the Celtics are able to get him a more team-friendly deal (if he opts out), this could be a mutually beneficial union for all parties.

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