The Boston Celtics made the Jaylen Brown trade official on Monday afternoon. Hours later, president of basketball operations Brad Stevens and team governor Bill Chisholm sat down at the Auerbach Center for 45 minutes of questions from the Boston media. Most of them centered on why the franchise moved a homegrown Finals MVP to a division rival.
The answers were thorough. Stevens praised Brown’s decade of work in Boston, empathized with frustrated fans, and laid out the basketball reasoning behind a deal that has divided the fanbase. Chisholm reinforced that the move was not driven by cost-cutting.
Stevens also addressed the other side of the trade. He spoke about Paul George and made clear where the organization stands on the player it brought back.
Stevens Addresses Paul George
“Paul George has been one of the best two-way wings of the last decade in the NBA and can easily fit into any group,” Stevens said. “He’s looking forward to joining the Celtics, and we’re excited to welcome him and his family.”
Stevens described George’s role in terms that set clear expectations. Not a primary option. Not a franchise centerpiece. A player who can carry stretches of games on both ends of the floor while fitting into a system built around Jayson Tatum.
“He’s excited to come to Boston,” Stevens continued. “He already came in this weekend. We’re excited to get a chance to work with him.”
George’s Series Against The Celtics
Boston knows firsthand what George can do. The Celtics held a 3-1 lead over the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round this spring and could not close the series. George was one of the reasons why.
He shot 48.9 percent from the field and 55 percent from beyond the arc across seven games against Boston, adding 17.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per contest. Those numbers came against a Celtics defense that knew he was coming and still could not contain him consistently.
“We’re not very far removed from all sitting in our series against Philadelphia and watching Paul be a guy that could carry you for portions of a quarter or a half, but also play a complementary role on both ends of the floor at the highest of levels,” Stevens said.
GettyPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – APRIL 30: Paul George #8 of the Philadelphia 76ersshoots a three point basket in front of Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics during the second quarter in Game Six of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 30, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
The Vision Behind the Move
Stevens did not hide behind the George acquisition to avoid the harder questions about why Brown was moved in the first place. He addressed the structural reasoning directly.
“The path looked a little bit more challenging with 70 percent of our cap and such a high percent of our usage tied into two players,” Stevens said.
Having Tatum and Brown on supermax contracts limited Boston’s ability to build the kind of depth that recent champions have required. Stevens pointed to the teams that won titles and competed at the highest level over the past few seasons, noting that roster balance mattered more than top-end star power alone.
“I might be wrong,” Stevens said. “I’m not going to stand up here and be defensive about that.”
Chisholm backed up the financial side.
“I know there’s people who feel like there must be a smoking gun somewhere on the money, but that’s just not what this is about,” Chisholm said. “We’ll prove it to you when the time comes.”
GettyPresident of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Getty Images)
Final Word for the Celtics
Stevens laid out the case. George fits as a two-way wing who can carry stretches and play within the system. The cap structure needed to change. The depth around Tatum needed to improve. Whether all of that proves true will play out over the next season and beyond.
The fans are not convinced yet. Stevens understands that.
George’s job is to change their minds on the court. Based on what Stevens saw in the spring, he believes that is well within reach.
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