Paul George’s contract could still hold significant value around the NBA despite the veteran no longer being the player he was earlier in his career, according to an anonymous executive cited by Sean Deveney of Heavy.com.
“He is not the player he was 10 years ago, but he still has that rare skillset and if a player has that, he’s got value,” the executive said. “If he has that and he is on a short contract, that’s even more value.”
George, 36, is entering the third season of a four-year, $211.6 million contract. The deal includes a player option for the final season, making the current campaign particularly relevant to his future with the Boston Celtics.
The Celtics acquired George from the Philadelphia 76ers in the offseason as part of the trade that sent Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia. Boston also received four future draft picks in the deal: a 2028 first-round pick or swap, a 2031 first-round pick, and two second-round selections.
George brings a career résumé that includes nine All-Star selections and six All-NBA selections. He has averaged 20.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists over 945 regular-season games, while shooting 38.4% from three-point range.
His production has declined from his peak, however. George averaged 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 37 games for Philadelphia during the 2025-26 season, shooting 43.9% from the field and 39.2% from three-point range.
That three-point shooting remains one of the defining elements of his offensive profile. George has made 2,455 three-pointers during his career while maintaining a 38.4% career percentage from beyond the arc.
His arrival gives Boston another experienced scorer and playmaker alongside Jayson Tatum. The Celtics traded Brown after finishing 56-26 in 2025-26, but their season ended in the first round of the playoffs.
Tatum, meanwhile, is returning for his first full season since an injury limited him to 16 games last season. Boston also added Mitchell Robinson and retained several key players, including Payton Pritchard, Neemias Queta and Jordan Walsh.
George is also extension-eligible, adding another layer to his situation in Boston. With the final season of his current contract carrying a player option, the Celtics have a relatively short-term commitment compared with the length of the deal when it was originally signed.
