When the Philadelphia 76ers shifted Paul George's disastrous contract to the Boston Celtics in exchange for Jaylen Brown, the general consensus was positive. While the Sixers should never live to rue this deal, George's fit on the Celtics could derail their ambitions to dominate the Eastern Conference. The former Philly vet proved in the postseason he can still light it up from deep, and this will be music to the ears of Boston fans.
Paul George's fit is perfect for Joe Mazzulla's Celtics
He might be an aging star, but Paul George can still have a positive effect on a franchise's title hopes. Case in point: after his 25-game suspension during the 2025-26 season, George quickly established himself as an integral part of the 76ers' postseason ambitions.
Over 37 regular-season games, the 36-year-old averaged 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists, but most importantly, drained 39.2% of his shots from deep. George then took his sharpshooting skills into another stratosphere during the playoffs, recording an incredible 49.3% from 3-point range.
While Joe Mazzulla has gained a reputation for building his Celtics roster on a foundation of mentality monsters, he also requires his players to sink shots from range consistently. It is a feature of Boston's identity that makes them an extremely difficult opponent to defeat. If their shot is falling, there is simply no way to outscore them.
If George replicates this form in a Boston jersey, then the Philadelphia 76ers have a serious problem.
Boston is far from a wounded animal
From the outside looking in, Philadelphia has already beaten its Eastern Conference rivals in the best way possible -- stealing a superstar they developed from being an inexperienced rookie. Nevertheless, Mazzulla has consistently shown that no matter what weapons he has at his disposal, he will find a positive tune out of them.
Replacing Jaylen Brown with an aging Paul George may strangely seem like a downgrade for the Celtics, but the veteran's attributes fit Boston like a glove, and their level of performance will not drop when he is on the floor.
Not only is George a 3-point expert, but he has proven his willingness to adapt to an offensive hierarchy where he is not the head of the snake -- something many believed Brown would not be able to do when Jayson Tatum returned to full fitness.
Additionally, his defensive ability on the perimeter is elite. The mix of experience and basketball intelligence allows the nine-time All-Star to stifle his opponent's attempts to hit shots from deep, which is a major benefit to any team.
In the midst of all of this chaos, it is easy to forget that the Celtics still boast an abundance of highly skilled options. Payton Pritchard and Derrick White will be hoping to rediscover their offensive efficiency during the upcoming season. While younger options such as Baylor Scheierman and Hugo Gonzalez will be eager to earn Mazzulla's trust and carve out a larger role in the rotation.
Nobody is trying to state that the Philadelphia 76ers somehow lost this trade. Removing Paul George's ludicrous contract from their payroll in exchange for Jaylen Brown was a stroke of genius by Mike Gansey. However, George is going to play an integral role in the Boston Celtics' championship ambitions this season, which could affect the Sixers' chances of dominating the East.
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