The Paul George-Jaylen Brown swap is looking like one of those rare trades where both sides can walk away feeling good.
Philadelphia got the younger star in Brown, and he has settled in fast with the 76ers. The 30-year-old has put any talk about ego to the side and fit right into Nick Nurse’s loaded roster. Brown is averaging 22.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4 assists and 1.2 steals per game, and he has shown he is willing to take on whatever job his coach gives him.
Boston, meanwhile, has gotten exactly the kind of Paul George it needed. In a Celtics jersey, the 36-year-old is showing that his contract can still deliver real value, and he is doing it inside Joe Mazzulla’s clear-cut system. Boston asks its players to attack, defend with force and keep firing from 3, the same approach that helped the team win it all in 2024.
George’s time in Philadelphia never really got a fair runway. A 25-game suspension and a string of injuries kept him from building momentum, but when he was on the floor, he still made a strong impact on both ends.
That was especially true in the postseason. During the Sixers’ 2025-26 playoff run, George averaged 16.4 points, 3 assists and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 49.3 percent from deep.
Those numbers gave Mazzulla a clear picture of how George could work in Boston, and the fit has been immediate. George is back to scoring at a level closer to his old standard, putting up 20.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.3 steals per game while hitting a career-high 42.5 percent from three.
What may matter most for the Celtics is that George has been willing to let Jayson Tatum take the spotlight. That has helped Boston’s offense hum while keeping George in a role that suits him.
So far, the trade has delivered for both franchises. The 76ers got a forward with championship experience who can help shape their title push, and the Celtics got a veteran who fits their system cleanly. Now both teams will be hoping their side of the deal still leaves them on track for the NBA Finals.
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Through nine games with Boston, George has been productive enough to remind everyone why his move mattered in the first place, giving the Celtics scoring, playmaking and activity on both ends. For Sixers fans, the return was always going to stir up more than a routine regular-season matchup, because it reopened a breakup that still lingers in the background every time he steps onto the floor in Philadelphia. [Read more 🡒]
Joel Embiid's Slow Start Is Fueling A Bigger 76ers Fear
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Zach Lowe added to the conversation by comparing Embiids reduced athleticism to former MLB pitcher Jamie Moyer, a vivid way of framing how much explosiveness some observers think has disappeared. Still, there is a counterpoint inside the fan base: Embiid has often needed time to get his conditioning back and settle in when he is playing alongside multiple All-Star teammates. That leaves the bigger question hanging over the 76ers, because a slow start can be explained, but it can also be the first sign of something more concerning. [Read more 🡒]