Paul George has spent enough time proving people wrong that the Celtics may already be looking at the next reclamation project with fresh eyes.
Boston’s summer addition has turned skepticism into second-guessing, and after the Celtics beat the Philadelphia 76ers the other night, George pointed to the simplest explanation for his bounce-back in an exclusive NBC postgame interview: he’s healthy again. That’s the difference, he said, from the last two seasons. Whatever the debate around his fit, the production has backed him up.
The Celtics have handled him carefully, especially on back-to-backs, and that approach makes sense. They have the depth to absorb some missed games, and the bigger priority is keeping this version of George available when he does suit up. He looked finished in Philadelphia, but he says the problem then was health, not ability.
That’s where Bradley Beal comes back into the conversation.
Beal has strong ties to Jayson Tatum, and he’s also someone plenty of people now view through the lens of injuries and decline. Still, he’s only two seasons removed from averaging 17 points per game on nearly 50/39/80 splits.
Last year went sideways, the season ended early, and his health hasn’t exactly trended in the right direction. But George’s revival is the reminder that a player can look washed one year and useful again the next.
For now, though, Boston has no real reason to chase that idea. The Celtics are 10-2, they’ve been a two-way force, and the start has been dominant enough that any fixes feel more internal than urgent.
If Beal ever became an option, it would have to be on Boston’s terms: healthy, cheap, and likely available via buyout. Even then, the Celtics would need to decide they truly want a pure scorer like him.
There’s also no clear sign that Beal is ready anytime soon. Earlier today, Tyronn Lue gave reporters a discouraging update, saying Beal’s knee has been acting up. If Boston ever made a move, it would be for the same reason it brought in George - the belief that the injury issues were behind him.
In Other News...
Celtics Already Have One Huge Edge In The East
The early NBA season was supposed to bring a little more balance to the East, but that shift has not really shown up yet. A handful of teams that were expected to push into the contender tier have been uneven, and the conference still looks a lot like it did a year ago, with Boston sitting at the top of the pack.
For the Celtics, that matters because the path through the East still appears to run through them, and not much has changed to suggest otherwise. While other clubs sort through their issues, Boston continues to look like the team with the cleanest overall picture in the conference, which is a pretty useful place to be this early in the season. [Read more 🡒]
Jayson Tatum's Real Celtics Power Is Suddenly Up For Debate
Isiah Thomas added a familiar layer to the Celtics ongoing conversation about star power and front-office control, suggesting that Jayson Tatums voice may not have carried as much weight in a hypothetical Jaylen Brown trade as some might assume. The broader point is one Boston fans know well: even franchise faces do not always get the final say when it comes to major roster decisions, especially when the front office believes a move is necessary.
The uncertainty around Tatums involvement is what keeps the discussion alive, because the exact extent of his input remains unknown. What Thomas made clear, though, is that decisions of that magnitude usually live with the people running the team, not the player at the center of it, which is why the Celtics history of big trades still hangs over any debate about how much influence Tatum really has. [Read more 🡒]
Celtics Hot Start Is About To Face Its Toughest Test Yet
The Celtics have opened the season 10-2 and sit atop the Eastern Conference, a strong start made more impressive by the way they have already handled a demanding early slate. Even with back-to-backs and plenty of travel mixed in, Boston has kept rolling and still owns the leagues best net rating, a sign that the performance has matched the record.
November is where the grind really sharpens. Boston is staring at a packed month that will keep the team away from home for long stretches and send it crisscrossing the continent, a test of depth, conditioning and focus that could shape how long this hot start lasts. The wins have come early, but the schedule is about to ask a lot more of this group. [Read more 🡒]