When the Boston Celtics traded Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers for Paul George, pure pandemonium set in. Once that calmed down (or at least subsided for a moment), attention turned to what the Celtics could go with George's contract.
George is set to make $54.1 million this season and has a $56.6 million player option for the 2027-28 campaign. That's where things get interesting. By all accounts, George is going to pick up that player option, and that could make him a very intriguing trade option.
The CBA is all-powerful in today's NBA. It's part of the reason the Celtics traded Brown. It's the entire reason they traded Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis. It's why the Oklahoma City Thunder traded Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe, and Aaron Wiggins. It's why the New York Knicks didn't re-sign Mitchell Robinson. The second apron.
So, if the Celtics are able to match max money in a trade without having to send out any long-term money, it could make their trade package more appealing than others. Hence, the intrigue around George's expiring salary next summer.
The question is, what options could be available to the Celtics? We've already gone over the far-fetched Stephen Curry idea, but what else? If we wanted to remain in the world of realism, what could the Celtics be plotting?
Well, before diving in, I just wanted to make a note: It's impossible to predict the future. The NBA is an ever-changing landscape. Brown to the Sixers. Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Anything can happen at any time, and anyone can make a trade request at any time. With that in mind, here are some potential options.
Trey Murphy III
Why not revisit an old friend? Trey Murphy III was mentioned in trade rumors all summer, yet he's still on the New Orleans Pelicans. Perhaps another year near the bottom would help prod them to make some changes.
First and foremost -- and this is important to remember when discussing all potential trade ideas -- Brad Stevens noted the Celtics' hesitation to have two players make up 70% of the cap. That is, seemingly, except for someone like Giannis Antetokounmpo.
So, unless the Celtics are getting back a player of Antetokounmpo's caliber, a trade for a max-contract deal seems unlikely. That player would have to fit alongside Jayson Tatum significantly better than Brown did (or, as the Celtics felt Brown did by the end).
Thus, Murphy. By next summer, the Pelicans wing will still have two years left on his contract at $29 and $31 million (around 17% of the cap each year). Not only is that a stomachable contract, but Murphy's 3-point shooting and shot creation would fit beautifully in Boston's rotation.
Perhaps the Pelicans didn't want to take on Brown's long-term money. Maybe they didn't want to worry about extending him. Offering them an expiring deal and draft capital next summer could be enough to entice them.
Donovan Mitchell
This idea made a lot more sense before the Cleveland Cavaliers handed Donovan Mitchell a monster extension. That said, Mitchell's shot-creation and ball-handling, particularly combined with his 3-point shooting, could make him an interesting fit.
But again, Stevens didn't want two players making 70% of the cap. Not only is Mitchell going to make 35% of the cap by 2027-28, but that number will only be rising at that point. By 2030-31, he's going to be making $75.5 million (37.5% of the cap).
Is Mitchell really that much of an upgrade over Brown? Probably not. So, had the Cavaliers not yet extended him, something like this could have made sense next summer, especially if Cleveland underperformed. Now, not so much.
Nikola Jokic
As soon as speculation began regarding who Boston could trade George's expiring deal for next summer, Nikola Jokic's name popped up. By next summer, he'll have one year left on his deal -- a player option worth $62.8 million (36.1% of the cap).
Jokic is certainly an upgrade over Brown. He's worth having two players take up 70% of the cap. Unfortunately for the Celtics, it sounds like there's no chance he will be available anytime soon.
All reports indicate that, despite not having agreed to an extension yet, Jokic plans to spend the rest of his career in Denver. He wants to be a Nugget. He won't be available in trades.
© Christopher Hanewinc
Devin Booker and Nikola Jokic
Houston Rockets package
In theory, if the Houston Rockets underperform this season, they could look to shake things up next summer. And taking on a massive expiring contract could be worthwhile for them if they wanted to reset around their young players.
At that point, Kevin Durant would be 38 years old. Unless the Celtics could get away with including very little draft capital, a deal for him wouldn't be worth it. And considering he will also be on an expiring contract, a trade seems unlikely without draft capital. (Curry would be worth the picks more than Durant, in my opinion.)
But what if the Rockets wanted to build around only one of Alperen Sengun or Amen Thompson? Would they package players together to get off long-term money? How interested would the Celtics be in Jabari Smith Jr., Reed Sheppard, or Tari Eason? What about Sengun? It's at least something to keep an eye on.
Orlando Magic
This is one of the most intriguing options of the bunch. The Orlando Magic are on a collision course with the second apron and have nothing to show for it. Next summer, they're going to have to pay Anthony Black, and they will almost certainly have to shed some salary to do so (if they plan on ducking the second apron). George may not help them do that right away, but it would in the long run.
Even regardless of the second apron, if Orlando fails to progress this season, it may want to consider a teardown. Cutting long-term salary would be beneficial. That means at least one of Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane, or Jalen Suggs could be available.
Of that group, in my opinion, the most intriguing options would be Wagner and Suggs. Banchero's game is far too on-ball dependent, and Bane is an overpaid role player at his price point.
A deal would certainly depend on how healthy Wagner and Suggs are next year, as they've both dealt with injury concerns in the past, but they could be interesting fits in Boston. Both for different reasons and in different roles.
Wagner's ball-handling would provide a perfect secondary scoring option next to Tatum. He can drive, playmake, and defend at a high level, though his 3-point shot is shaky. As for Suggs, he's a great defensive-minded role player at the guard position. He could be a nice Derrick White replacement in the long run.
Devin Booker
Every year, Devin Booker decides to stay with the Phoenix Suns. And every year, the Suns fall short. The last few years have been particularly brutal, despite their surprise regular-season success last season.
Could next year finally be the year that Booker and the Suns choose to part ways? Probably not. But still, if the option is there, the Celtics would at least have to explore it.
Then again, Booker is on a max deal. He'll be making 35% of the cap from here on out. Is he enough of an upgrade over Brown to justify 70% of the cap? Probably not. But perhaps his better ball-handling and perimeter scoring could make him so.
Extending Paul George
What if George fits in well with the Celtics? What if his 3-point shooting and defense prove to be a better fit than Brown was, even though he's the far better player? What if he manages to stay on the floor?
The option of George declining his player option and re-signing with Boston on a more team-friendly multi-year deal cannot be ignored. In fact, it may be the most likely outcome on this list so far.
And perhaps most importantly, that situation would allow the Celtics the flexibility to keep re-signing their own players. Because over the next few years, some important players will need new contracts.
Chief among them is Payton Pritchard. He's extension-eligible starting on October 1 and has earned a pay raise. Luka Garza needs an extension next summer, though it will probably be a small one if he returns at all.
Baylor Scheierman will be about to enter a contract year next summer, so the Celtics could extend him. And if he plays well this season, that number could be higher than most realize. And a couple of years down the line, Boston will have to extend Hugo Gonzalez, too.
For most people, bringing George back for more years may not be ideal. But it could be the best option for the Celtics, especially if the perfect trade opportunity doesn't present itself.
Free agency
Boston could do nothing. It could keep George's expiring on the books heading into the 2027-28 season, assess potential trade-deadline deals, and if nothing pops up, simply plan for 2028 free agency.
By then, they still won't have a ton of money to spend due to extensions, but they could have the full MLE at the very least. And though it's impossible to know exactly who will be available, there are some interesting names who could make it to that point.
Guys like Josh Hart, Andrew Nembhard, Nicolas Claxton, Onyeka Okongwu, and Isaiah Joe could all be available if they don't agree on an extension by then. But again, predicting a free-agency class this far out isn't realistic.