Paul George may not have been the splashiest name Celtics fans expected to hear this offseason, and the reaction around Boston wasn’t exactly warm at first. But when you look at how Joe Mazzulla’s offense can actually function, the fit starts to pop. If George stays healthy and on the floor, there’s a real basketball case for why this move works.
The simplest way to see it is through the shooting. Jaylen Brown brought plenty of offensive value, but he was never more than an average shooter from all over the floor.
Too often, he’d pass on threes and settle into midrange looks. He made plenty of tough shots, but that approach didn’t always help the offense in the cleanest way.
George gives Boston something different. He’s not the same kind of downhill force Brown is, and he won’t pile up points at the same rate, but he’s a far more reliable shooter. Last season, he hit 39.6% of his open threes, and that number could matter even more now that he should get more of those chances.
The other big swing is in pick-and-roll creation. Brown wasn’t a strong initiator in those actions, especially considering how often he had to do it.
George, by contrast, has been excellent as a ball-handler in pick-and-rolls despite taking on less of that workload. In the playoffs, he posted the third-highest points per possession in those situations.
Payton Pritchard was also fourth…there’s a them here.
That part matters because Boston’s offense is built around volume from deep, but it also leans hard into offensive rebounding. With three centers who are strong screen setters and good on the glass, the Celtics have the pieces for a very specific kind of attack: pick-and-rolls that open up pull-up threes.
George is tailor-made for that style. In the playoffs, he shot 68.2% on pull-up threes, which led the NBA by a wide margin.
Pritchard was 8th at 42.3%. With Neemias Queta, Mitchell Robinson, and Luka Garza setting heavy screens and rolling hard, Boston can force defenses into bad choices over and over again.
Drop coverage gives up clean pull-up threes. Switching or hedging out high opens the lane for Boston’s bigs to crash the offensive boards with the paint cleared out. That’s where the Celtics can really start stacking possessions.
Brown’s game didn’t fully tap into those advantages, even with the numbers he put up in Boston. With George in the mix, there’s a legitimate path for this offense to reach an even higher level.
In Other News...
Stephen Curry To Boston Suddenly Feels Like A Real Celtics Debate
The idea of Stephen Curry in Boston has been easy to dismiss as offseason fantasy, but it is getting harder to ignore when it comes from someone who knows him well. D'Angelo Russell, a former Curry teammate, raised the possibility on a recent podcast and framed it around fit, suggesting Curry could thrive with a veteran group built around players like Jayson Tatum and Paul George. Even without any confirmed link between Curry and the Celtics, the conversation lands because Boston is the kind of contender that naturally invites those speculative what-ifs.
Currys future has become a topic in its own right as his contract situation starts to shape the conversation around what comes next. Nothing concrete ties him to the Celtics, and there is no indication a move is on the table, but that has not stopped the league from wondering how far a superstars next chapter could stretch. For Boston, the appeal is obvious: whenever a player of Currys caliber becomes remotely discussable, the Celtics are going to be part of the debate. [Read more 🡒]
Paul George Arrives In Boston With One Huge Celtics Question
Paul Georges arrival gives Boston a very different kind of wing presence, one built on shot-making, defense and secondary playmaking. Acquired in the deal that sent Jaylen Brown and four draft picks the other way, he comes in with the kind of all-around skill set the Celtics have long valued, and the team expects him to help in a number of ways while carefully managing his workload.
The question hanging over the move is less about what George can still do on the floor and more about how often Boston can count on him to do it. Even with productive play in the 2025-26 season, his availability has become the real concern, especially with a hefty contract still on the books and the Celtics trying to balance impact with the reality of his age and injury history. [Read more 🡒]
Kawhi Leonard Saga Could Make The Celtics' East Path Much Tougher
The NBAs investigation into Kawhi Leonard has turned what looked like another routine star transaction into one of the leagues bigger looming uncertainties. At the center of it is a review of alleged no-show endorsement deals tied to the Los Angeles Clippers, with the league trying to determine whether those arrangements helped the team get around the salary cap. For the Celtics and the rest of the East, the ripple effect is obvious: a player of Leonards caliber changing teams can reshape the balance at the top of the conference before anyone even gets to opening night.
For now, the agreed-upon deal sending Leonard to Toronto remains on hold until the league reaches a verdict, leaving the whole situation in suspension. There is still a sense around the league that the trade will eventually be approved, and Leonard is already expected to move forward with extension talks once it is. Until then, Boston and every other contender in the East are stuck watching a high-stakes process that could end with one more major obstacle in the path to the Finals. [Read more 🡒]