So it seems like the Boston Celtics think Paul George still has a lot left in the tank, at least according to Jay King of The Athletic.
"In Las Vegas, the Celtics sounded convinced the nine-time All-Star still has some high-level basketball left to contribute," King wrote. "During conversations at summer league, several people within the organization brought up just how well George played against Boston in the playoffs."
Only time will tell if this turns out to be the case or not, but from Boston's perspective, they better hope it is. George is now a big part of the team's success for at least the next season or two. If he can stay (relatively) healthy and make a big impact on the court, that would be the best-case scenario for the Celtics.
But if he can't, then the Celtics' decision to trade Jaylen Brown for him (which is still being heavily criticized) might somehow look even worse than it already does down the line.
The Celtics need Paul George to be on his A-game next season...
If the Celtics want to be serious contenders next season (which, in my opinion, seems highly unlikely anyway. But hey, why not try?), they're going to need everybody to be on their A-game, and that especially includes George.
Like it or not, the California native is now Jayson Tatum's new sidekick. And, to be fair, there are reasons to think it can work.
George has turned into a fantastic connector and someone who can fill in the margins (catch-and-shoot threes, play good team defense, has become an improved playmaker). Plus, on paper, he might be a better fit alongside Tatum than Brown was, mostly because he can contribute more off the ball and is a better shooter.
Plus, he was instrumental in the Philadelphia 76ers' 3-1 comeback against the Celtics in the first round of last year's playoffs (17.4 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1.4 steals, 48.9/50/77.8% shooting splits, and played fantastic defense in seven games).
... but that's easier said than done
There are two problems with acquiring George, though: 1) he's 36 years old and isn't a long-term option, which drastically reduces Boston's already bleak championship outlook, and 2) he's never available. Seriously. Since the 2021-22 season, this is how many games he's played each year: 31, 56, 74, 41, 37 (for context, Brown's numbers are 66, 67, 70, 63, and 71).
Hypothetically, if he's not present (inactive, on the bench, or maybe even just having a nothing game), that can cause big problems for Tatum and the Celtics, especially since they won't have Brown to fall back on (it's tough to imagine Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, etc. stepping up as that No. 2 guy on a consistent basis).
The Celtics apparently have high hopes for George with the team (they probably should if they traded their 29-year-old, homegrown star for him), but if he can't live up to them, then things are going to get ugly very quickly in Boston.
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