Boston Celtics veteran Paul George addressed the media for the first time since his blockbuster trade from the Philadelphia 76ers for Jaylen Brown. George is excited to play for the Celtics and promised fans he'll give his utmost effort ahead of his 17th NBA season. However, some analysts are skeptical, given his extended injury history and advanced age.

George, 36, hasn't played in 70+ games since 2023-24, which is a major concern for analyst Jeff Goodman, who addressed the introductory press conference on the Bob Ryan & Jeff Goodman Podcast.

“Can Paul George play enough games, number one? Can he stay healthy at his age? He's turned 36 this year. So, can he stay healthy and play 65-plus games? Gotta be healthy,” Goodman said. “Number two, can he be that third guy? The biggest question I always had with Paul George when we went to Philly, too. Mentally, he can't handle Philly. I don't think he could handle Philly at any age, but certainly not in his mid-30s. But can he handle Boston?

“Philly's here. Boston's right underneath. Those are probably the two most ruthless fan bases in the NBA. Now, the good thing is: he's not going to get the brunt of it. Even if Paul George doesn't do well, it's still going to fall on Jayson Tatum because he is the superstar of the team. And now, with Jaylen Brown gone, it's going to be, well, Tatum couldn't do what Jaylen Brown did last year.”

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While Goodman isn't expecting Paul George to revert to an All-Star for the Celtics in 2026-27, he's hoping the nine-time All-Star can still produce at a high level alongside Jayson Tatum.

“He's gotta be that two-way guy that doesn't have to average 20,” Goodman added. “Can he average 15, 17 a game? The defense has been there most of his career. Can he give you that, and if he can, the good thing is, now you've got a two-headed monster at the five spot. Not a monster, but defensively, those guys are pretty good. Mitchell Robinson and Queta are pretty good.”

George averaged 17.3 points on 43.9% shooting, including 39.2% from beyond the 3-point arc, 5.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.7 steals in 37 games for the 76ers last season.