BRIGHTON – Just two weeks out from Media Day, the Boston Celtics made some important introductions. For the first time, Paul George and Mike Conley Jr. spoke to the media as the newest members of the Celtics.
Mitchell Robinson was supposed to be in attendance as well, but he was a last-minute scratch, as he had to attend to personal matters. So, it was George, Conley, Joe Mazzulla, and Brad Stevens up on the stage at the Auerbach Center.
Top of mind was still Jaylen Brown. It’s been that way all summer. From the very moment Boston made the controversial decision to ship him to the Philadelphia 76ers, few discussions have been possible without bringing that choice into the mix. Tuesday afternoon was no different.
The very first question George fielded was about the trade. Not about what he can bring to the table. Not about his time in Philadelphia. Not about his excitement to be joining the Celtics. Instead, the question was simple: What do you make of Bostonians' viscerally poor reaction to the trade? Luckily, George’s perspective was refreshing.
“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. “To be honest, they should have a relationship emotionally to that trade. But my job here is [to] kind of come in, [and] it's a great opportunity for me. Obviously, the last two years have been rough just with injuries. But for myself personally, I feel great again.
“I feel like I've turned that corner of dealing with injuries, and now kind of reestablishing myself from a physical standpoint again. And with that, I can carry it over to the court. So, again, no personal feelings towards the initial [reaction], how it [was] received in here in Boston. To be honest, it's fair. But it's just one foot in front of the other. Hopefully, with how we start this year, they understand it's going [to be] a new team and something that they can be proud of.”
Brown was traded to the Sixers in exchange for George, a first-round pick, a first-round pick swap, and two second-rounders. For the past two seasons, George’s contract has been widely viewed as one of the worst in the NBA.
Throughout his short tenure in Philadelphia, George struggled to stay on the court. He appeared in just 78 games through two seasons (though that number is tainted by a 25-game suspension for violating the NBA’s anti-drug program).
This summer was different for George. He took in the reaction to the Brown trade. Only one person sat closer to the action than George, and that person was Brown himself. But George isn’t worried about filling Brown’s shoes. That’s not an attainable goal.
“I think it's fair to live with that emotion, given what JB stood for and what he brought in the history, right? He was a part of raising a banner and winning the championship here,” George said. “So, I'm not saying that-- That's going to forever stick, right?
“But it's a new group, it's a new opportunity, and again, I think they're getting someone that's ready to not fill the shoes or fill the void of JB, but I think, from a personal standpoint, myself, I think I can come in and kind of still keep us in that contention and give us a chance to win.”
Instead, George spent the offseason focusing on