Boston broke up its most effective five-man group to acquire Paul George, betting a 36-year-old's efficiency can replace what Jaylen Brown provided. Training camp starts with that bet unproven and the record still 0-0.
Boston traded away the season's best lineup, not just a wing.
Brown-White-Queta-Pritchard-Hauser played 200 minutes across 35 games last season and finished at a plus-17.9 mark, the best figure among Boston's five-man groups; two shorter Brown-led lineups, with Gonzalez and with Scheierman, finished at plus-14.8 and plus-11.9. Brown had also scored 20 or more points in four of his last five games off the bench last season. Boston received four draft picks — two firsts, two seconds — along with Paul George after a 3-1 collapse in the 2026 first round. The pairing with Tatum that helped produce a 56-26 record and an efficiency differential of plus-8.3 no longer exists.
George's efficiency argues he can replace what Brown provided.
Last season George played 37 games, shot 39.2 percent from three, and scored 17.3 points a night, numbers that fit directly into Boston's perimeter rotation. He turns 36 this season with 16 years of experience, the exact profile the front office is betting can hold the offense near its previous level without a scheme change.
The bet arrives with less room to fix a mistake than the last core had.
Boston carries a payroll of $203.9 million against a $200.4 million tax line, with Tatum ($58.5M) and George ($54.1M) the two largest contracts on the roster. Tatum played only 16 games last season, a reminder that health, not scheme, decided recent playoff runs. The roster is 21 deep, and the two-way spot opened by Max Shulga's departure went unfilled through two more September signings, Hayden Gray and Gabe McGlothan.
The swap looks like the harder trade but the better one.
Boston did not fix the defense that let Philadelphia erase a 3-1 lead; it changed who has to compensate for it. George's shooting and scoring numbers beat what Brown gave Boston as a starter last season, and the two extra first-round picks buy recovery time if age catches up with him first. On the numbers alone, this was the correct side to bet on.
Why did the Celtics trade Jaylen Brown?
Boston sent Brown to Philadelphia after blowing a 3-1 lead in the 2026 first round, receiving four draft picks and Paul George in return.
Is Boston over the luxury tax this season?
Yes. Boston carries a payroll of $203.9 million against a $200.4 million tax line entering training camp.
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