Paul George Addresses Jaylen Brown Trade After Cold Welcome From Celtics Fans

Paul George knew exactly what he was walking into when he arrived in Boston. The Celtics had just traded Jaylen Brown, a franchise cornerstone for a decade, to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for George and future draft compensation. So when the reception for his arrival wasn't particularly warm, George didn't take it personally.

“Listen, I understand the circumstances. I understand how huge JB was not only for the organization, but here in the city. So I didn’t take it personal,” George said Tuesday. “To be honest, they should have a relationship emotionally to that trade… To be honest, it’s fair. But, you know, just one foot in front of the other.”

He hopes that relationship can change once the new-look Celtics take the court.

“Hopefully, with how we start this year, they understand this is a new team and something that they can be proud of,” he added.

That is a difficult transition to make in Boston. Brown spent 10 seasons with the Celtics, reached the playoffs every year, and was part of a team that won more regular-season and playoff games than any other franchise over that stretch. He also averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists last season, finished sixth in MVP voting, and had already won Finals MVP in 2024.

George, meanwhile, is coming off a season in which he played just 37 games and averaged 17.3 points.

Paul George knows what Jaylen Brown meant to Boston

Brown's departure also left behind a complicated goodbye.

“I’m big on respect,” Brown wrote. “And actions speak louder than words.”

Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens described the trade as a basketball decision, while acknowledging that he knew it would be unpopular. Reports later pointed to tensions involving Brown's approach and Jayson Tatum's camp last season, adding another layer to the situation George inherited.

None of that is something George can change. His challenge is to build his own relationship with Celtics fans while taking over a roster that looks very different without Brown.

George is 36 and entering his 17th NBA season. He acknowledged that the last two years have been difficult because of injuries, but said he feels he has turned a corner.

There is at least some recent evidence of what he can bring to Boston. During last season's playoff series against the Celtics, George shot 55% from three-point range and spent stretches defending both Brown and Tatum.

Stevens has continued to emphasize George's fit and basketball IQ. But the biggest question surrounding the move isn't his résumé. It's whether he can stay on the floor.

George is owed $54.1 million this season and has a $56.6 million player option for the following year. He played 239 games over the last five seasons, compared with 337 for Brown.

That availability gap matters even more now that Tatum will share the wing with someone other than Brown for the first time in his career.

George isn't being asked to recreate Brown's decade in Boston. He is being asked to help turn the page.

For now, he understands why Celtics fans haven't embraced the trade. His hope is that the team's performance will eventually give them a reason to see this as something new rather than simply what Boston lost.