The Boston Celtics made one of the NBA's biggest offseason moves when they traded Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers for Paul George and draft compensation.
Now, just a few weeks into the season, some around the league are questioning whether Boston can depend on its new star for an entire championship run.
NBA insider Eric Pincus reported Thursday that an NBA scout believes the Celtics should consider limiting George to approximately 60 games during the 2026-27 season. An Eastern Conference executive also expressed concerns about the 36-year-old's ability to maintain his performance as the season progresses.
The comments, published in Pincus' NBA notebook for Casino.org, raise an interesting question about Boston's championship aspirations.
Can the Celtics get enough from George during the regular season without compromising what they'll need from him in April and May?
NBA scout delivers concerning recommendation for Celtics
George's talent isn't the issue. His ability to stay healthy and effective over an extended season is what concerns some NBA observers.
Latest at @Casino_Org—my Week 3 Notebook: Celtics’ Paul George Concerns, Scouts Doubt Grizzlies’ Playoff Hopes (but I'll say, they're a fun watch so far this year): https://t.co/7hOkyk9Hok
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The anonymous scout praised George's scoring and defensive abilities but suggested Boston needs to approach his workload carefully.
"Boston is going to have to manage his minutes all year, try to lighten his workload, play him closer to 60 games or so," the scout told Pincus.
That would represent a significant reduction from the NBA's 82-game regular season.
George has already received some rest this season, sitting out Monday's 109-103 loss to the Houston Rockets on the second night of a back-to-back.
An Eastern Conference executive offered another warning, suggesting George could experience a physical decline before Brown does in Philadelphia.
"The greater concern with Paul George is his legs," the executive told Pincus, adding that he believes George will wear down before Brown.
Those assessments are opinions from anonymous league personnel, not an indication that Boston has established a 60-game restriction.
Still, they highlight the difficult balancing act facing the Celtics.
Paul George and Jaylen Brown are producing remarkably similar numbers
What makes the discussion particularly interesting is that George has been productive since arriving in Boston.
According to the figures cited in Pincus' report, George was averaging 20.7 points, six rebounds and five assists through the early portion of the season. Brown, meanwhile, was averaging 20.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 4.3 assists with Philadelphia.
George was producing those numbers in approximately 31 minutes per game compared with Brown's 36.1 minutes.
That difference is important.
Boston has already demonstrated that George can contribute without requiring the same workload Brown carried. The challenge is maintaining that production as the schedule becomes more demanding.
The Celtics didn't acquire George simply to replace Brown's scoring in November. They need him to complement Jayson Tatum when the postseason arrives.
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There was also a financial component to Boston's decision to move Brown.A Western Conference executive told Pincus that the Celtics were unwilling to absorb the enormous luxury-tax costs associated with keeping their championship roster together.
Boston received draft compensation in the George trade, creating additional flexibility beyond the immediate exchange of star players. That makes the deal more complicated than a simple comparison of George and Brown's scoring averages.
The Celtics acquired an older player with a different contract situation while collecting future assets. But championships aren't decided by financial flexibility alone.
If George remains healthy and productive when the playoffs begin, Boston's decision could look considerably better than critics anticipate. If durability becomes a persistent problem, the Celtics could find themselves missing the younger star they traded away.
For now, George is providing the production Boston hoped to receive.
The question raised by Pincus' reporting is whether the Celtics can preserve that version of George for the games that matter most. And if the answer requires playing him only 60 times during the regular season, Boston may have a difficult decision to make long before the playoffs begin.
