Paul George’s first words in Boston did not sound like those of a player mourning his previous stop or shrinking from the expectations attached to replacing a franchise fixture.
They sounded like a veteran ready to begin again.
“Feeling great. I’m excited, man,” George said during a behind-the-scenes look at his first day with the Boston Celtics.
George toured the Auerbach Center, met members of the organization and posed with his new No. 8 jersey after arriving in the blockbuster trade that sent Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers. His family accompanied him for a day George described as surreal.
He said he was ecstatic about the journey ahead and eager to wear Celtics green.
Brad Stevens Explains Celtics’ Paul George Bet
GettyVJ Edgecombeof the Philadelphia 76ers sets a pick on Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics as Paul George tries to go past during the first quarter of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at TD Garden on April 19, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. George and Brown swapped places in a blockbuster trade this offseason.
Boston president of basketball operations Brad Stevens offered his clearest explanation yet of what the Celtics believe they acquired.
“We just think he’s a good fit for how we play,” Stevens said.
Stevens described George as an impactful winning player whose basketball intelligence, feel and veteran savvy should mesh with the rest of Boston’s lineup. The Celtics understand George is no longer the player who finished third in MVP voting in 2019. They believe his present-day version can still help a contender.
That distinction sits at the center of Boston’s most consequential offseason move.
George, 36, was the only established player the Celtics received for Brown, the 2024 NBA Finals MVP who spent 10 seasons in Boston. The Celtics also acquired two first-round picks and two second-round selections, giving Stevens additional assets to reshape the roster.
The Celtics-76ers trade brought Boston a 2028 first-round asset, Philadelphia’s unprotected 2031 first-round pick and conditional second-round selections in 2028 and 2030.
The draft capital explains a large portion of Boston’s return. George’s job is to ensure the present does not become an afterthought.
Paul George Must Help Replace Jaylen Brown
George averaged 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 37 games last season. Injuries and a 25-game suspension interrupted his second year in Philadelphia, but he showed flashes of his former All-NBA form during the 76ers’ seven-game playoff victory over Boston.
The Celtics witnessed those flashes from an uncomfortable distance.
George averaged 17.4 points during the first-round series and shot 55% from the 3-point range. His 23-point performance in Game 6 helped Philadelphia erase a 3-1 series deficit before completing the upset at TD Garden.
Boston will ask George to defend multiple positions, space the floor and create offense when Jayson Tatum or Derrick White draws extra attention. The nine-time All-Star joins a reworked group that also added Mitchell Robinson and veteran point guard Mike Conley.
The Celtics’ current roster still revolves around Tatum, White and Payton Pritchard, but Brown’s departure removed one of the league’s most productive and durable wings.
George cannot make Celtics fans forget Brown, nor should that be the expectation. He can make the trade easier to accept by staying healthy, embracing a complementary role and producing when the games matter most.
His first day offered no guarantees. It did provide the first indication that George understands what awaits him in Boston and genuinely wants to be there.
Celtics’ Paul George Sends Strong Message After Blockbuster Jaylen Brown Trade