The Celtics are about to look a whole lot different, and the biggest reason is the one move that changed everything this summer: Jaylen Brown is gone, Paul George is in, and Boston is betting that the swap keeps the machine humming even if it changes the shape of the team.
That’s the real question hanging over this roster. Jayson Tatum is stepping into a season without Brown beside him for the first time in his career, and he’ll have to do it while working through his first full campaign since the devastating Achilles tear. Boston’s front office clearly believes the answer is yes, but one anonymous NBA scout wasn’t ready to stamp the Celtics as a true title threat just yet.
“I think they'll be good just because Joe (Mazzulla) is a really good coach; they're going to win their games and be competitive,” the scout said. “I don't know if they're necessarily a contender just because I don't trust Paul George.”
That skepticism comes with a big caveat, though: when George is available, the fit makes sense. The scout pointed to George’s ability to play without dominating the ball and his history of thriving next to other stars.
“How much does PG really have?” the scout asked.
“Last year he was relatively healthy, but he was suspended for that stretch. So let's see where he is at.
I think he's a good complement to Tatum and it defines the team. I know there's always questions, was it Tatum or Brown's team?
It's Tatum's team. And I think PG will accept that.
If he’s healthy, I think PG is a good complement because he can shoot it and he can still create and he doesn't need to dominate the ball like he used to. And he's played off of guys before.
He played off of Kawhi (Leonard), he's played off of (Tyrese Maxey), he's played off of (Russell Westbrook), so he knows how to fill that role. So I think it'll work well, and I think Joe will get a lot out of him, and it's just a matter of him staying healthy.”
Health is the hinge, because George’s recent availability has been a real issue. He played 78 games combined over the last two seasons, and Boston is asking him to be more than just a name on the roster. They need him to be the right kind of name.
The Celtics will also need more from the rest of the group, and the scout singled out a few players who could matter more now that Brown is out of the picture. Payton Pritchard is one Boston believes is ready to level up, while Baylor Scheierman and Hugo Gonzalez are both viewed as useful pieces with different paths to impact.
“I know Boston really believes Payton Pritchard is going to take a jump,” the scout said. “And I think he can.
Are they going to start him? Do you start him and Derrick White in the backcourt with George and Tatum?
I think that would be an interesting group.“ Baylor Scheierman had a good season.
I think he can shoot it. I think he's a little erratic and makes some wild plays, but I think he's a better defender than people give him credit for.
He rebounds the ball for a guard really well. I wouldn't start him, but he should be in the rotation.
I think he's a solid contributor for their team.“ I like Hugo Gonzalez.
He plays f---ing hard. He just needs to be a consistent shooter.
He's always going to be a role player. He's not going to be more than that, but he understands that and he competes at a high level.
Now, if he can become a 38-40% three point shooter, which is a possibility, then they really got something there.”
Boston’s other major summer move came in the middle, where the team added Mitchell Robinson in free agency to address a clear weakness. The Celtics had trouble matching up with Joel Embiid once Neemias Queta ran into foul trouble in the playoffs, and that flaw helped fuel the blown 3-1 lead to Philadelphia. Robinson gives them a different kind of answer.
“They have two really big centers,” said the scout. “Queta and Mitch are huge people.
So they got guys that are going to clog the paint. They got lob threats at the rim.
Now they have to be careful with Mitch and his injury history and how many minutes they play him. But I think with those two guys, it's really dynamic grouping.
It's almost like it's perfect for Mitch. He can play 25 minutes per night and stay fresh.
When you play him more, then it's not great because Mitch is never conditioned well enough. “So they got that kind of dynamic right now with two guys that are semi-starters, could be a starter or come off the bench and be impactful.
Mitch will be really good for them. Mitch is a different dude, so I think Joe will reach Mitch really well, but it'll be fun to watch that dynamic.”
The full summer picture is a dramatic one. Brown, fresh off first-team All-NBA honors and a season that helped Boston to 56 regular season wins, was dealt to the Sixers for George, two first-round picks in 2028 and ’31, and two second-rounders.
The Celtics used the draft to add Houston product Chris Cenac Jr. at No. 28 and St. John’s forward Dillon Mitchell at No. 40, though both are expected to be longer-term projects rather than immediate rotation pieces.
Boston also let Vučević walk before bringing in Robinson on a three-year, $47.4 million deal. Mike Conley arrived for point guard depth and veteran mentorship as he enters his 19th NBA season, and Devin Carter was added just before training camp after being a late lottery pick in the ’24 draft, then traded by the Kings and released this summer.
Even with all that turnover, the expectation around the team remains high. SI’s NBA staff doesn’t see a major drop-off after the Brown trade, and Boston’s regular-season track record under Mazzulla gives that view real weight. The playoffs are a different conversation, but the baseline projection still points toward another strong year for Stevens’s group, even in a tough East, with another 50-win season in play.
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