Paul George still feels ‘brotherhood’ with former Sixers teammates after trade to Celtics
George was on the other side of the Jaylen Brown blockbuster trade, after mentoring players such as VJ Edgecombe during an uneven two seasons with the Sixers.
BOSTON — Tyrese Maxey and Paul George met near midcourt inside TD Garden just before tipoff of Saturday’s preseason game between the 76ers and Celtics, and wrapped each other in a big hug.
A few months ago, they were teammates rallying to beat the Celtics in seven games of a first-round playoff thriller. Now, they were on opposite sides of an Eastern Conference rivalry, following the shocking July blockbuster trade that sent George and draft picks to Boston in exchange for All-NBA wing Jaylen Brown.
» READ MORE: VJ Edgecombe scores 19 points, Jaylen Brown sits out Sixers’ preseason loss at Boston Celtics
Coincidentally, George made his preseason debut for his new team against his former squad. The veteran wing finished the night with 13 points, five rebounds, four assists, and five steals in 25 minutes in Boston’s 144-106 drubbing of the Sixers. And though George has moved on to the Celtics, he still values the “long-lasting relationships” that remain with several Sixers teammates.
“I love those guys,” George said from the Celtics’ locker room. “ … It’s still a brotherhood over there, and so it was great to see those guys and now compete against them.”
To an outsider, George’s two seasons with the Sixers could be considered uneven, at best.
He was the NBA’s marquee free agency signing in 2024, inking a four-year max deal. But the 36-year-old only played in 78 total games with the Sixers, averaging 16.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, four assists, and 1.8 steals while lacking the explosiveness that made him a perennial All-Star and smooth three-level scorer.
Numerous injuries were to blame for the inconsistencies in availability and production. So was a 25-game suspension for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy. Yet when George returned late last season, he was an excellent three-point shooter and stout perimeter defender. That translated to the playoff series against the Celtics, with Sixers coach Nick Nurse reminding reporters before Saturday’s game that, “You guys saw here, he was really, really good at the end of last season.”
And behind the scenes, George was respected by Sixers teammates. He worked closely with then-rookie VJ Edgecombe on offensive moves, even while suspended. George said Saturday that Edgecombe and Maxey still regularly call him. George’s family also still lives in Philly, where Joel Embiid is a neighbor and their kids attend the same school, George said Saturday.
“He’s an ‘OG’ in the game,” Edgecombe said of George. “ … It seems like he’s in a really good space, mentally and physically, also.”
At the end of last season, George said he was looking forward to spending the summer primarily working on his game instead of rehabbing an injury. Still, multiple years remained on his hefty contract, and his age and health concerns appeared to make that deal the NBA equivalent of an albatross.
The Celtics, though, became motivated to move Brown, who is still in his prime but on an even more lucrative contract. Brown was the centerpiece of a leaked offer to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo, before Milwaukee chose to trade with the Miami Heat instead. Then, the Sixers became an unexpected partner for a deal.
George acknowledged he is still getting the feel of Boston’s offensive system, in which his job is to “make the game as easy as possible” for superstar teammate Jayson Tatum. George went 3-of-10 from the floor Saturday, bending over in relief when he finally watched his first three-pointer drop through the net in the second quarter. He also felt “extra” nerves entering Saturday, noting his new franchise’s rich history and win-now expectations.
George, though was a defensive playmaker throughout the night, thanks to a defensive scheme he said “[allows] me to be me.” And being on the positive side of the TD Garden crowd was “electric,” George said.
“It definitely fuels you,” George said. “Makes you play hard. Makes you want to win for everyone in that arena. And it is, like, a badge of honor to wear that green.”
Maxey joked after Saturday’s game that the highlight of his own shooting clunker was blocking one of George’s shots. In the second half, Edgecombe engaged in some playful trash talk with George when he drew a foul against his mentor.
» READ MORE: After Ariel Hukporti’s Achilles injury, how will the Sixers fill the center minutes behind Joel Embiid?
Then after the game, George immediately approached Embiid for a hug and conversation. Justin Edwards came over for a handshake and chest bump. Jabari Walker wanted an embrace.
Then, Edgecombe gave George a bearhug from behind.
“If [there’s] anything that he took away from it,” George said of Edgecombe, “I guess it’s just being genuine, being truly there for him in any way I could. I thought I tried to give it everything I had when I could be available … for those guys.”
After an exciting Sixers offseason highlighted by the additions of LeBron James and Jaylen Brown, join Inquirer beat writers Gina Mizell and Chris Hine for a preview of the season. Watch here.
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