Joe Mazzulla knows replacing Jaylen Brown will be impossible. And that isn’t what he’s asking Paul George to do.
Following the blockbuster trade that sent Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers, the Boston Celtics‘ head coach made it clear that comparing George to the former Finals MVP is not the point. Instead, Mazzulla thinks the veteran forward still has plenty to offer. He wants his new team to bring out the best version of the nine-time All-Star.
Speaking about the trade to Jay King of The Athletic, Mazzulla defended his new star but acknowledged that the comparisons were inevitable.
“Again, there (are) two things. There’s the actual skill set of the player. And then, there’s the mentality of, can we leverage the fact we don’t know how much time he has, but can we take advantage of some of the hunger that you have to be able to have? And it’s the same thing in Mike. And so, Paul’s a great player. And (comparisons are) going to happen, but it’s not fair. It’s just the way it is.”
“Because there was a transaction between Jaylen and Paul George, it doesn’t mean one’s better. And that’s not what we’re looking for. We’re looking for the best version of Paul George. No one’s going to replace Jaylen Brown on our team and what he’s done in the community. No one’s going to do that. And we’re not asking that to happen, but we need, and I need as a coach, and we need as a staff, and we as a team have to demand the best of what Paul George can bring because he’s got a lot left. And he’s a damn good player in the league.”
The Celtics coach thinks that motivation could become one of the biggest advantages for the Celtics next season. George enters the season with a lot to prove.
After a season plagued with injuries and suspensions, during which he played just 37 games, George averaged 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists, dealing with critics who doubt whether the 36-year-old is capable of being a difference-maker on a championship team.
But Mazzulla clearly disagrees and plans to bring the best out of George. The biggest challenge for the Celtics is to convince fans to separate George from the player he replaced, as Brown wasn’t just another star.
He spent 10 seasons with the Celtics, became a five-time All-Star, won the 2024 Finals MVP award as he helped deliver Boston’s 18th championship, and had the best season of his career in 2025-26. With Jayson Tatum missing most of the season recovering from an Achilles injury, Brown averaged career highs of 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists while finishing sixth in MVP voting.
Replacing that production will be difficult, but replacing what Brown meant to Boston is impossible. And Mazzulla knows that. He previously admitted that the franchise needed a grieving process after losing Brown, who was not only an elite player but an icon in the city of Boston.
But still, the Celtics think they have gained something. Along with George, the Celtics acquired two first-round draft picks, giving the team greater financial flexibility. Whether it proves to be the right decision remains the biggest question facing the Celtics. The doubt around the trade is quite understandable.
Brown is entering his prime at 29 years old after coming off the best season of his career, while George is nearing 37 and has reached the 60-game mark only once in the last seven seasons.
But when healthy and committed, George has shown flashes of the complete two-way player that made him an MVP candidate. During the Sixers’ first-round series win over the Celtics, George averaged 17.4 points while shooting nearly 49% from the field and an outstanding 55% from three-point range, showing everyone he can still compete on the biggest stage.
For Mazzulla, that’s the kind of production the Celtics are chasing. They don’t want Jaylen Brown, but just the best version of Paul George.
