Paul George arrived in Boston knowing the first reaction to the Jaylen Brown trade was never going to be quiet. At his Celtics introduction Tuesday, the 36-year-old forward said he understands the attachment fans have to Brown, the 2024 Finals MVP, while making his own case to become the next high-level running mate for Jayson Tatum.
Paul George embraces Celtics challenge after Jaylen Brown trade
Boston acquired George from Philadelphia in July, sending Brown out in a deal that brought the nine-time All-Star to the fifth stop of his NBA career. The move reshaped a roster that won the franchise’s 18th championship in 2024, and George said he has heard the disappointment from a fan base that watched Brown become one of the city’s central figures.
“I know what the situation is and how important JB was to this team and to Boston,” George said. “I didn’t see it as personal. Fans have every reason to feel something about a trade like that. For me, though, this is a major opportunity.”
George said the injuries that followed him through portions of his Clippers and 76ers tenure, including knee surgery before last season, no longer define where he is physically. He described himself as being in a strong place mentally and physically, believing he has moved past the rehabilitation cycle and can again carry that confidence onto the floor.
Boston president of basketball operations Brad Stevens has added George alongside center Mitchell Robinson and veteran point guard Mike Conley Jr. as the Celtics prepare for camp, which opens in two weeks. The three newcomers worked with Tatum and returning Celtics during informal summer sessions, and Stevens said the early workout environment has been encouraging.
Robinson did not attend Tuesday’s event because of a personal matter. He joins Boston after winning a championship with the Knicks and is expected to work behind starting center Neemias Queta. Conley, entering his 20th NBA season at age 38, is set to provide depth behind Derrick White and Payton Pritchard in the backcourt.
The bigger offensive and defensive burden will fall on George. With six All-NBA selections on his résumé, he is being brought in to occupy a starting-lineup role beside Tatum, who is entering his first complete season since tearing his Achilles in May 2025. Tatum’s return late last season was interrupted again, and he was unavailable when Boston lost Game 7 of its first-round series to George and the 76ers.
Conley said both he and George arrive with experience, but also with a hunger that can sharpen a group that has already reached the championship summit. Neither Conley nor George has won an NBA title.
“We have two veterans who still want that championship badly,” Conley said. “That urgency can help spark the players here who have already experienced winning it all.”
Stevens used the Celtics’ season-launch gathering Monday to frame the roster reset. Behind him was an image of the TD Garden floor being refinished, a summer ritual he sees as a reminder that each team starts with an untouched surface and the chance to create its own identity.
That is the task in front of this version of the Celtics. Brown’s departure leaves a major hole in the championship-era core, while George arrives trying to prove his health, production and late-career edge can keep Boston in the title mix.
“This is a different group and a different chance,” George said. “I’m not here to replace JB. But I believe I can help keep this team among the contenders and give us a real chance to win.”
SEO Title: Paul George Says He Is Ready for New Celtics Role
SEO Description: Paul George addresses the Jaylen Brown trade, his health and Boston’s revamped rotation alongside Jayson Tatum, Mitchell Robinson and Mike Conley Jr.
