After hearing Jayson Tatum's reaction to the Philadelphia 76ers' trade with the Boston Celtics to acquire Jaylen Brown, it almost feels like a double-win.
Obviously, the Sixers got better by adding a consistent All-Star who doesn't miss much time throughout the year. Not to mention, Brown just put together what some might consider to be an MVP-caliber year.
But beyond that, the Sixers placed Tatum and the Celtics in a weird spot. Typically, both teams would have to feel the same effect of a blockbuster deal, but in this case, the Celtics got the worst part of it.
Jayson Tatum delivers the reality
"To be transparent, it's weird," Tatum told ESPN ahead of the ESPYs. "I've been on the Celtics for nine years, and he was my teammate every single one of those. You understand throughout the course of a career that the NBA is a business, and people change teams, coaches, and front offices. But it doesn't make it any easier. There's still the human element that you feel those emotions. The city feels those emotions."
Tatum went on to explain that now the Celtics have to focus on welcoming all of his new teammates in with open arms. From Philly, they are landing Paul George.
The weirdness has left the building
I'm not saying that the Paul George experience in Philadelphia was bad. It just didn't feel impactful. When the Sixers flew out key members of their front office and ownership group to convince the ex-Clipper to sign with them, there was a lot of initial excitement.
Two years later, the stint just felt awkward. From the jump, George seemed halfway in. He probably would've returned to the Clippers if they offered him a deal in the ballpark of his four-year, $211.5 million contract he's currently on.
And although he landed with the Sixers, it was well-documented that the Golden State Warriors were looking for a way to land the All-Star wing. George even went on record himself to express his interest in linking with the Warriors.
To top it all off, George couldn't stay healthy through his first season. He played in just half of the games. During his second season with the Sixers, he dealt with injury concerns and faced a 25-game suspension. As a result, he appeared in 37 games.
While George earned some credit for his two-way support during the postseason, he didn't make much of a difference going against the eventual champs in round two. The New York Knicks dominated the Sixers with a sweep.
The George era was odd. He averaged 16.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.0 assists in 78 games across two seasons. He simply didn't live up to the contract, and he never had a strong connection with the city. He shouldn't get Ben Simmons treatment when he returns for at least two games next season, but he doesn't need a tribute during a timeout either. The Sixers are going to move on just fine.
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