The Boston Celtics' decision to trade Jaylen Brown (specifically to the Philadelphia 76ers and for an aging Paul George) was heavily criticized in the moment, and it's going to be a long time before we know who came out of it the best.
Either way, the Brown trade drastically changed Boston's dynamic, firmly making Jayson Tatum its unquestionable No. 1 guy for the first time in his career. And now, a lot of pressure is on him and George to prove they can win together.
In a recent episode of the "Cousins" podcast, Basketball Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady spoke on his concerns about Tatum being the No. 1 guy coming off an Achilles injury and George's ability to take some pressure off of him and be his sidekick at this point in his career.
"I can't understand, why would you put so much pressure on your franchise player when he's coming off an Achilles and you trade for him an older P daul George, who hasn't been healthy the last few years, and I don't think that he can give you that sidekick energy for 60-65 games ... I just hope [Jayson Tatum] don't overdo it," McGrady said.
Tracy McGrady isn't entirely wrong...
One of the biggest appeals of the Tatum-Brown pairing was that they could each take the pressure off one another when needed. If one of them were out, injured, or just having a bad game, the other could step up in his place.
With Brown no longer on the roster, it is true that there is a lot more pressure on Tatum to step up. Guys like Derrick White and Payton Pritchard are fantastic complementary pieces, but they won't be much help at picking up the six-time All-Star's slack/absence.
In theory, that's what George is supposed to be. But he's also 36 years old, has played more than 60 games in just one season since 2018-19 (74 in 2023-24, second-most is 56 in 2022-23), and isn't the same guy he was at his peak.
...but he's drastically underestimating them
Tatum is fresh off an Achilles injury, and we have yet to see him play in a full season since. But in the games he did play last season, he looked very close to his regular self.
In 16 games, he averaged 21.8 points, 10 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.4 steals on 41.1/32.9/82.3% shooting splits (his efficiency was down, but he gradually found his shot and looked better with each passing game). He also looked like a vastly improved rebounder and playmaker.
And as for George, while he's not in his prime anymore (and durability is a real concern with him), he can still play. He was a fantastic connector in Philadelphia, took a backseat to Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, and Joel Embiid, and filled in the margins. The California native knows he isn't the main guy anymore, and on paper, he can be a fantastic complement to Tatum.
They're not "the Jays," and it's likely going to be a long time before Celtics fans get over the trade, but there are still reasons to be excited about the Tatum-George pairing. It wouldn't be too much of a surprise if they prove their critics (and McGrady) wrong next season.
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