Paul George Expresses Retirement Wish to Celtics

"I'm here to stay," Paul George told a crowd at Russell Westbrook's party in July 2018 after re-signing with the Thunder. Eight years later, he is on his fifth NBA team and offering a similar line to a new fan base, this time with the hindsight of a long and winding career. The 36-year-old told the Boston Globe he hopes Boston is where it ends.

George was blunt about what drew him to Boston. "This locker room, the culture here, the front office, the city, the organization, the tradition, all of that is something that I've never been a part of," he said. He told the Globe's Gary Washburn, "Hopefully, I can remain healthy. I think I became a journeyman along the way [of my career]. At this point, I would love to be able to call Boston home."

That is a notable thing to say after only a few months with the club. George was traded from Philadelphia to Boston over the summer as part of the Jaylen Brown blockbuster. He said he is "fully immersing" himself in the organization, and that the Celtics have brought out "a different passion" that he felt had been buried. His comments suggest he sees Boston as his last stop, not another short stay.

The "journeyman" label is hard to argue with. He has been through the Pacers, Thunder, Clippers, 76ers and now the Celtics. He is the nine-time All-Star in his 17th year, and he has said criticism from former players has bothered him over the years.

Boston offers something different from the high-profile pairings that defined his earlier moves. The Celtics open the season Tuesday in Detroit, which gives him a quick chance to show why he wants to stay.

The last two years were hard on him. Injuries and a 25-game suspension for violating the NBA's drug policy limited him to 78 regular-season games across two seasons in Philadelphia. George said the banned substance he took was for a "mental health issue."

The Celtics did their homework. They acquired George because his contract matched Jaylen Brown's but ran a year shorter, and because he impressed them in a seven-game playoff series last season. In that series he averaged 17.4 points on 55 percent three-point shooting. He is also willing to play a complementary role to Jayson Tatum and says he feels healthy.

The stakes are high for both sides. George has yet to reach an NBA Finals and views Boston as perhaps his last and best chance to win a championship. Tatum has fully recovered from the Achilles tear he suffered in the 2025 playoffs. The Celtics and Pistons finished 1-2 in the East last season and both missed the conference finals. If George stays healthy, he could be a major piece of that push.

Paul George spent years moving from team to team, and he now says he would like to settle in Boston while also chasing the title that has eluded him. The first part depends on the second. If the fit works and the health holds, "call Boston home" may become a lasting arrangement. If it does not, the "journeyman" label could return.