Paul George gives the Celtics something they badly need: another high-level shot-maker who can defend, move the ball, and fit cleanly into Joe Mazzulla’s system. That part is easy to see.
He still has plenty left, and the numbers from last season back that up. Against Boston in the first round of the playoffs, he closed strong, averaging 17.4 PPG, 4 RPG, 3 APG, 1.4 SPG, while shooting 48.9/55/77.8%.
He also knocked down 41.7% of his catch-and-shoot threes last season, and he’s already proven he can thrive as a connector and complement piece - exactly the kind of role he’d be asked to play in Boston.
There’s even a version of this where the Celtics get back to the promised land, with Jaylen Brown heading out and the Los Angeles Clippers’ first-round pick in 2028 coming back the other way. George has also said the right things since arriving in Boston, which only helps the fit on paper.
But the paper part is where the optimism stops and the worry starts.
Because if George isn’t on the floor, none of the fit talk matters. And with his injury history, that’s not some small footnote - it’s the central issue.
Since the 2018-19 season, his final year with the Oklahoma City Thunder, he has reached 60 games in a season only once, when he played 74 for the Clippers in 2023-24. George says he feels good and healthy, but that’s the kind of claim that has to survive the grind of a full season before anyone can trust it.
Boston doesn’t need him to be the Indiana Pacers version of Paul George. It doesn’t even need him to play all 82 games, and he probably wouldn’t have to get to 50 for the Celtics to stay among the East’s top seeds. What they do need is a player who can ease the burden on Jayson Tatum, handle the offense when Tatum is off or sitting, and still be there when the games start to matter most.
That’s the catch. If George is healthy and available in the stretch run and the playoffs, the Celtics can dream big. If he isn’t, the whole thing can go sideways in a hurry.
In Other News...
Jayson Tatum Sees One Immediate Difference With Celtics Big Man
Mitchell Robinson is already giving the Celtics something they have long valued in the frontcourt, and Jayson Tatum noticed the difference quickly. After signing a three-year contract with Boston, Robinson brings a reputation for defensive disruption, physical rebounding and the kind of interior presence that can change how opponents attack the rim.
Tatum pointed to Robinson's defensive skills, his work on the glass and the broader impact he can have on the group, which fits neatly with what Boston has wanted from its big men. Robinson has built his name as one of the league's better offensive rebounders, and the Celtics will be counting on that edge to show up every night, especially once the games start to tighten and the margin for error gets smaller. [Read more 🡒]
Jayson Tatum Already Sounds Comfortable With A New Celtics Frontcourt Fit
Bostons final training camp practice in Charleston, South Carolina, offered a first real glimpse of how Jayson Tatum is beginning to mesh with a new frontcourt partner. With the season inching closer, Tatum spent some time discussing Mitchell Robinson and the way the Celtics can lean into his defensive presence, rebounding and screening to make the half-court offense and the overall lineup structure feel more natural.
For Tatum, the fit appears to be about more than just rim protection. He sounded comfortable with the idea of Robinson helping set the tone on both ends, and that matters for a team trying to sort out its rotations and maximize the forwards and centers around him. The early read is encouraging, even if the real test will come once the Celtics start facing live pressure and have to turn those camp impressions into something repeatable. [Read more 🡒]
Celtics Are Suddenly Linked To A Knicks Move Fans Didn't Expect
The Celtics already made one notable Knicks-related splash this offseason by bringing in center Mitchell Robinson, and now their front office is being tied to another big name from New York. This time it is Karl-Anthony Towns, whose contract situation has quietly become a talking point around the league as Boston looks for ways to keep stacking talent around its core.
A Towns deal would not be simple and it would not come cheap, but the fit is easy to understand for a team that values spacing, size and versatility. The possibility only exists if contract talks in New York go sideways, which remains a long shot given the Knicks recent championship, but the mere mention of Boston in that conversation is enough to make the idea worth watching. [Read more 🡒]