It’s only been a few months, but Paul George is already having a big impact on his Boston Celtics teammates.
The veteran forward has become somewhat of a sounding board for Boston’s younger talent and veterans alike.
Speaking to the media on Thursday, October 29, Sam Hauser detailed some of the lessons he’s learned from the 9-time All-Star since he arrived with the Celtics as part of the Jaylen Brown trade.
“I think early on, I just asked him like, ‘How have you made it this long in the NBA?’” Hauser recalled, via Bobby Krivitsky. “…And I think, on the floor, he obviously, he’s very talented on the defensive side of the ball, and I think kind of just watching him from afar and how he gets steals, how his body positioning, angles, and all that has been pretty impressive to watch.”
Hauser continued.
“Obviously, he makes our defense really, really good when he’s out there…Every now and then it’s like, ‘Hey, what do you see on this? What can I do to help you on this?’ Kind of deferring to him.”
George has had an immediate impact on the Celtics, especially on the defensive end, where he’s among the league leaders in deflections following the opening week of the season.
Paul George Has Been Helping Jordan Walsh
One member of the Celtics roster who has been benefiting from George’s presence is Jordan Walsh. The fourth-year forward has reportedly spent significant amounts of time working with and learning from Boston’s latest veteran star.
On Thursday, Walsh gave further insight into what he’s been learning from George since his arrival.
“He’s a really good defender as well, and so a lot of his advice, yeah, we talk about offense a lot, getting to your shot, being confident with it,” Walsh explained. “But there are certain closeout techniques and steal techniques that he does; I’m trying to figure out as well. So, using that in games as well has been helpful.”
Walsh has found himself lining up next to George to begin the season. Joe Mazzulla has deployed the defense-first forward as Boston’s two-guard to begin the season, allowing him to set the defensive tone while continuing to develop his game on the fly.
Paul George Has Two Years Left On His Contract
George has two years remaining on the four-year $211.5 million deal he signed with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2024. This season, he’s earning $54.1 million, while next season he could earn $56.5 million.
However, George does have a player option on his deal ahead of next season. As such, he could opt out and choose to explore free agency. Or, he could seek a longer-term, more team-friendly deal to remain with the Celtics and challenge for a championship in the coming years. Of course, there’s also the chance he opts in for one final year of generational money.
Whatever George chooses to do, it’s clear that his presence is having a positive effect on his new teammates. If he continues to produce on the court and help develop some of the Celtics’ younger talents, then his tenure with the franchise should be seen as a success, regardless of how long it lasts.
Celtics’ Paul George Earns Glowing Praise From Sam Hauser, Jordan Walsh