Before Paul George has played a regular-season game for the Boston Celtics, one of the central questions surrounding the blockbuster Jaylen Brown trade has already resurfaced.
Can George stay healthy enough to justify his enormous salary?
Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale named George to its All-Overpaid First Team entering the 2026-27 season, estimating that the 36-year-old will provide roughly $38.2 million less value than his $54.1 million salary this season.
George’s salary represents 32.81% of the NBA salary cap, according to Favale, who based his evaluation on a model developed by Sporting News analyst Steph Noh that estimates each player’s “salary surplus.”
That last part is what puts George on the list.
Paul George’s Health Is Celtics’ $54 Million Gamble
George has missed fewer than 15 games only once since 2018-19. He also played only 37 games last season, when a 25-game suspension further interrupted his year.
At 36 and entering his 17th NBA season, history makes projecting improved availability difficult.
George, however, offered a far more encouraging assessment of his body during his introductory news conference in Boston.
“The last two years have been rough just with injuries,” George said. “But for myself personally, I feel great again. I feel like I’ve turned that corner of dealing with injuries.”
Later, George expanded on why this offseason felt different.
He said the physical limitations of recent seasons had weighed on him mentally, but that extended recovery time finally allowed his body to heal. Instead of spending another summer rehabilitating, George said he was able to train and strengthen his knee.
“It’s almost like … a kind of rebirth or reborn again,” George said, adding that he is entering Boston with a different mindset and feels ready for the season.
That optimism is exactly what Boston is betting on.
George Says He Hasn’t Felt This Good in Years
Bleacher Report’s criticism was not that George can no longer play at a high level.
The concern is whether Boston can reasonably expect enough games from him to justify committing nearly one-third of its cap to an aging star with a long injury history.
George pushed back on that concern without making any promises.
“Injuries happen,” he said. “Just hope that’s behind me. Again, I feel great. I feel amazing.”
More importantly, George said he has not entered a season feeling this healthy “in a very long time,” calling that alone a victory as he prepares for his first year alongside Jayson Tatum.
George also made clear he does not view himself as arriving in Boston to replace Brown or compete with Tatum for top billing.
“We have a superstar, and that’s JT,” George said, describing his role as helping Tatum and serving as a veteran complement to Boston’s franchise player.
That distinction matters.
Boston does not need George to recreate the peak version of himself every night. It needs him available enough to defend, create secondary offense, space the floor and help Tatum navigate another championship run.
If George’s healthier summer translates into sustained availability, the Celtics may have little reason to care about an “overpaid” label.
If his body betrays him again, though, $54.1 million and a projected $38.2 million value deficit could become uncomfortable reminders of just how much Boston wagered on George turning that corner.
Celtics Star Paul George Hit With Brutal $38.2 Million Label