If the Boston Celtics are serious about moving Paul George, the front office just got a massive green light. This week, specifically on September 6th, a crucial restriction on George’s contract aggregation expires, suddenly giving the Celtics far more flexibility to explore trades involving the nine-time All-Star.
The NBA’s Two-Month Holdout Is Over
This isn’t some complicated financial wizardry, it’s straight-up NBA CBA rules. When the Celtics acquired Paul George from the Philadelphia 76ers back in July, they legally couldn’t package his salary with another player’s contract in a trade. Why? Because the league’s collective bargaining agreement puts a temporary two-month freeze on aggregating a player’s salary after he’s been traded. ESPN’s Shams Charania broke the news of the blockbuster deal on July 1st, but it didn’t officially clear until July 6th. That’s the real clock-starter, meaning the Celtics had to cool their heels until September 6th for that restriction to finally lift. Now, they can combine George’s massive contract with others, opening up a whole new world of potential deals.
George’s Monster Deal and What It Means for Boston’s Timeline
While the front office now has more options, there’s no credible reporting suggesting the Celtics are actively trying to trade George. Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens has actually been pretty vocal about how much he values George. Stevens said, “Paul’s a really good player. He’s been a really good player for a long time. He’s one of the more impactful players with regard to winning, even as he’s aged in the NBA. We just think he’s a good fit for how we play, and I think the other part about Paul is he’s very smart. He has a good feel for the game; he’s got a good savvy to him about the game, and I think that fits in with the rest of our lineup.”
However, let’s be real. George is 36, and Jayson Tatum is only 28. That’s a significant difference in timelines. Plus, George’s contract is absolutely massive. He signed a four-year, $211.6 million deal with the 76ers in 2024, and for the 2026-27 season alone, he’s set to rake in $54.1 million. That makes him the second-highest-paid player on the roster, only behind Tatum’s $58.5 million. He also holds a $56.6 million player option for 2027-28, which would make him an unrestricted free agent at 38 in 2028 if he picks it up. Given the age and the money, it wouldn’t be a shock to anyone if the Celtics at least started poking around the trade market for him at some point over the next couple of years.
So, while there’s no trade imminent, the removal of this restriction arms the Celtics with a powerful tool. The front office now has more flexibility than ever to make moves between now and the trade deadline, if they decide using George’s contract is the best way to improve the roster. Every GM in the league just noticed Boston’s options widened considerably.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply