At first, it seemed like no one was exactly excited to see Paul George don a Boston Celtics uniform when the team acquired him for Jaylen Brown. But between remembering what he did to them in last year's playoffs and seeing how he fits with Joe Mazzulla's basketball philosophy, there's a bit of excitement about what George could look like as a Celtic.
Yeah, he wasn't exactly the sharpshooter he had proven himself to be earlier during the preseason, but it's simply a cold stretch. Don't expect that to be a problem for Boston. Once George's jumper shows up, he has the makings of an elite two-way force in Boston. Best of all, it could be this way for some time, as George may want it that way.
In an exclusive interview with The Boston Globe's Gary Washburn, George made it clear that he would love to stay with the Celtics.
"This locker room, the culture here, the front office, the city, the organization, the tradition, all of that is something that I’ve never been a part of," George told Wasburn. "Where everything is high quality. For me, it’s refreshing. Hopefully, I can remain healthy. I think I became a journeyman along the way. At this point, I would love to be able to call Boston home."
This is pretty flattering to hear from George. It doesn't negate the fact that he is overpaid for his services, both because he's old and not the player he once was, but it's clear that this isn't just another gig for him.
If he really embraces Boston this much already, there's no telling how much his presence will pay massive dividends for the Celtics. Whether he sticks around depends on how he actually fares as a Celtic.
If George thrives in Boston, why not?
Technically, we don't know how well George will do as a Celtic this season. On paper, he fits Mazzulla Ball like a glove, and he proved through his abilities as a defensive playmaker that he could take what was already an elite defense to a whole new level during the preseason.
If George works out in the best way possible for Boston, even if he is aging, it's hard to say no to someone who brings that kind of value to the basketball court. The only problem is the price tag. Maybe he and Boston can work something out, but we're thinking too far down the line when George hasn't played one minute of regular season basketball for the Celtics yet.
His first step is proving not only that he is a fit, but a good one. Saying the right things is Step 1, but Step 2 is putting his money where his mouth is. In his case, that's quite literally.
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