When a lot of people analyze the Celtics’ trade of Jaylen Brown for Paul George, they are looking at PG as a 1-for-1 replacement for JB and thinking the team got worse. The logic is sound, as George is well past his prime, hasn’t sniffed an All-NBA team in years, and Jaylen is coming off a season where he finished sixth in MVP voting.
In that sense, it’s a pretty clear downgrade, but that’s missing the forest for the trees. Brown is a better first option than George, but the Celtics already have their first option in Jayson Tatum. They want that hierarchy to be clearer than ever, bringing in George to be more of a second or third option behind Tatum than a co-star like Brown was.
It’s about roles and fit as much as talent, and that’s where PG has the chance to make the Celtics a better team, even if he’s not the overall player that Brown is at this point in their respective careers.
Tatum needs a sidekick, not a co-star
The Celtics have done the 1a/1b dance for years, and it brought them a championship and lots of success, but they’re going in a new direction. Tatum is the alpha, and everyone else, including George, is there to support him and fit around him.
George gets that and said as much in his introductory presser, explaining that Tatum is the superstar, not him, and that the fans are fair to be upset about the trade and losing a franchise icon in Brown.
“He [Jaylen Brown] was a part of raising a banner and winning a championship here, so… that’s going to forever stick… but it’s a new group, it’s a new opportunity… they’re getting someone that’s ready to, not fill the shoes or fill the void of JB, but… I think I can come in and still kind of keep up in that contention and give us a chance to win.”
George understands his role on the Celtics
And this is a perfect response from George and shows how well he understands the situation and the goals of the team. If Brad Stevens and company wanted another Jaylen Brown, they would have just kept Jaylen Brown. They want to fill in a puzzle around Tatum, and they think that George is an important piece.
If Paul comes in and tries to be Jaylen, this isn’t going to work, and the team will likely be worse. But if he comes in and gives them the best version of PG-13, playing off of Tatum, this could be an optimal pairing that actually unlocks the entire roster and makes the Celtics even better next season.
It’s still hard for a lot of people to see the big picture, and I get that. But you know who does see the big picture? Brad Stevens and Paul George. And that’s a hell of a lot more important.
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