Jaylen Brown-Paul George Comparison Addressed by Mazzulla After Shocking Celtics-76ers Trade

Following the blockbuster trade of Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers for Paul George and a package of draft picks, Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla discussed the inevitable comparisons that will be made between the two players.

Speaking to Jay King of The Athletic, Mazzulla acknowledged that although comparisons are going to happen, the Celtics aren't looking for George to be a like-for-like replacement for Brown.

"Again, there [are] two things," said Mazzulla. "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 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 in because he's got a lot left. And he's a damn good player in the league."

Mazzulla also talked about the difficulty of moving forward without Brown because of what he brought to the table as a player and a person in Boston.

"Not going to be able to replace him," Mazzulla said. "I think it's twofold. It's the on-court competitiveness, the mindset that he brings, and also just the icon that he was in the community. I think that's also why this was so difficult. The day something like this happens, and you just don't lose any sleep over it, is when you're in it for the wrong reasons. And I think that's the same for the organization. I think it's the same for the fans. I think it's the same for the city. The city cares about the people. There's a level of connectivity and inspiration there. So, the hurt makes a ton of sense because people care about each other. If we didn't care, it wouldn't hurt."

The fact that Brown was traded this offseason didn't come as a huge shock, especially after his name was heavily involved in rumors of a trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks.

Milwaukee opted to send Giannis to the Miami Heat instead, but Brown's name remained at the forefront of trade rumors and speculation.

Last month, ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported that the Celtics had made Brown available in trade talks, although The Athletic's Sam Amick reported that his market was "nowhere near the level" the Celtics hoped it would be.

Jaylen Brown Trade Reaction

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Because of that, the Celtics ultimately decided to trade Brown for a return that was far below what most expected.

George was the centerpiece of the deal, and although he is a nine-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA selection and four-time NBA All-Defensive Team choice, he is also 36 years old and has a lengthy injury history.

The veteran forward has reached the 60 games played mark only once in the past seven seasons, and he was limited to 37 contests last season due to a knee injury and a 25-game suspension for violating the NBA's anti-drug policy.

When he did play, George averaged 17.3 points per game on 43.9 percent shooting to go along with 5.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.7 three-pointers made and 1.7 steals.

As for Brown, he enjoyed the best season of his career in 2025-26, as Celtics star forward Jayson Tatum missed most of the campaign while recovering from a torn Achilles.

The 29-year-old Brown averaged a career-high 28.7 points per game to go along with 6.9 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 2.0 three-pointers made and 1.0 steal.

He was named an All-Star for the fifth and an All-NBA Second Team selection for the second time, plus he finished a career-best sixth in NBA MVP voting.

On top of that, he helped lead the Celtics to the second-best record in the Eastern Conference at 56-26 despite most assuming Boston would take a step back with Tatum on the shelf for the majority of the season.

The Sixers did shock the Celtics in seven games in the first round of the playoffs, though, and it is fair to wonder if that compelled Boston's front office to make a big change by shipping out Brown.

Now, the team undeniably belongs to Tatum, and most of the best players around him are either at least 30 years of age or close to it, including George, Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, Mitchell Robinson and Sam Hauser.

The trade was a huge risk on the Celtics' part, especially since it gives the Sixers another big-time talent alongside Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, but Boston is seemingly banking on the idea that it now has a more complete team and better future assets by landing two first-round picks in the deal.