Boston sent Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia for Paul George and four draft picks, closing a nine-year pairing with Tatum after a first-round exit. Two preseason wins and a five-steal George debut say little that the schedule at Detroit and New York won't test harder.
The trade that ended the Jays was a bet made under pressure.
Boston blew a 3-1 lead and lost to Philadelphia in the first round of the 2026 playoffs, a year after finishing 56-26 with the NBA's second-best offense and fourth-best defense. That exit is why Jaylen Brown went to the 76ers for Paul George and four draft picks, two first-rounders and two second-rounders, closing the book on a nine-year partnership with Jayson Tatum. The lineup Boston gave up with him — Brown, Derrick White, Neemias Queta, Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser — posted a net rating of plus-17.9 over 35 games last season, the best five-man unit on the roster.
George's debut answered with steals, not shot attempts.
George scored 13 on 3-for-10 shooting in Saturday's 144-106 win over Philadelphia, with five steals and a plus-19 in 25 minutes. MassLive reported that Brown himself sat out Boston's return, so the two sides of the trade still haven't shared a floor. Boston's bench outscored its starters 70-63 in the same game, with Pritchard's 25 points leading everyone on the floor.
Tatum's night was about conditioning, not the shot chart.
Tatum scored 23 points on 9-for-19 shooting in Saturday's win, hours after being cleared from the injury list. Boston.com reported that Tatum expects to play both nights of back-to-backs this season, coming off an Achilles tear — the clearest marker yet of where the recovery stands.
The payroll, not the preseason, will judge whether the bet was right.
Boston carries $203.9 million in salary, above the $200.4 million tax threshold, with Tatum's $58.5 million and George's $54.1 million the two largest commitments on the roster. Two preseason wins don't resolve that question — the answer starts October 20 at Detroit and continues October 23 against New York.
Why did the Celtics trade Jaylen Brown?
Boston sent Brown to Philadelphia for Paul George and four draft picks after blowing a 3-1 lead and losing to the 76ers in the first round of the 2026 playoffs.
How did Paul George play in his Celtics debut?
George scored 13 points on 3-for-10 shooting with five steals and a plus-19 in Boston's 144-106 preseason win over Philadelphia on October 10.
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