For some among the Boston Celtics faithful, there will be nothing that Paul George can do in the upcoming season to serve as any kind of redemption for being the only player the team got back in the Jaylen Brown trade. Last month’s move to send out Brown was one of the most shocking in the long history of the franchise, an unforgivable decision in the eyes of many. But most Celtics fans still see some hope, because the departure of Brown also came as the team added center Mitchell Robinson and veteran point guard Mike Conley.
With Jayson Tatum expected to be fully healthy and rehabbed from the torn Achilles tendon he suffered in May 2025, and with a small handful of young players who could take a step forward, there is a hope that maybe these Celtics can overachieve in 2026-27.
But, realistically, that depends on George, who does not entirely need to replace Brown, but needs to be a better and more efficient overall fit for the team and for Tatum.
Paul George Averaged 22 Points in 2024
And that’s possible. George is 36 and not at the height of his powers, but he is a guy who was an All-Star with the Clippers in 2024, a season in which he averaged 22.6 points, with 5.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists, plus 41.3% 3-point shooting. George was a disaster after leaving LA for the Sixers in free agency, with injuries and a PED suspension limiting him to 78 games in two seasons.
But there is some hope that George is still capable of tapping into his 2024 self. If that is the case, the Celtics won’t struggle as much as some suspect next year.
Celtics Could Benefit From ‘Experience in the Spotlight’
That’s part of a bold prediction from the folks at Bleacher Report this week, where George is tabbed as a 20-point-per-game scorer next year for the Celtics.
Zach Buckley of the site points out that the likes of Derrick White and Payton Pritchard will get bigger roles, but they’ve never been stars in the league.
He writes: “George has legitimate experience in the spotlight. And as a superstar’s sidekick, a role he handled alongside Russell Westbrook in Oklahoma City and with Kawhi Leonard in L.A. George’s scoring volume has dialed down in recent seasons (hence the boldness of this prediction for a career 20.5 points per game scorer), but shifting back into a more prominent offensive role than the one he had in Philadelphia should reverse that trend.”
Celtics’ Brad Stevens: Paul George ‘A Really Good Player’
While it is bold, it would not be outrageous for George to average 20.0 points for the Celtics. At Basketball-Reference.com, which does upcoming season projections, George is pinned at 19.8 points per 36 minutes. Of course, how much George can play is one of the big questions for Boston.
Celtics president Brad Stevens is a believer–what other choice does he have?
“Paul’s a really good player,” Stevens said. “He’s been a really good player for a long time. He’s one of the more impactful players with regard to winning, even as he’s aged in the NBA. We just think he’s a good fit for how we play, and I think the other part about Paul is he’s very smart. He has a good feel for the game; he’s got a good savvy to him about the game, and I think that fits in with the rest of our lineup.”
Celtics’ Much-Maligned Paul George Gets Surprise Prediction