The fact that Paul George headlined the trade package the Boston Celtics received in their blockbuster trade for Jaylen Brown made fans around the league wonder why their teams couldn't beat that offer. His strong Celtics debut should now put it in perspective of how highly Boston valued George in that trade.
The Celtics fell 121-113 in their season-opener against the Detroit Pistons. However, the silver lining should be the play of their newest blockbuster acquisition. George finished with a game-high 38 points (12-21 FG, 7-12 3PT, 7-8 FT) to go along with five rebounds, three assists, and five steals.
He not only emerged as that co-star for Jayson Tatum, but even proved to be the far more effective of the two. If George is this valuable to Boston, then beating that offer would've taken more than most fans assume. That includes the Portland Trail Blazers, who were frequently mentioned as a potential landing spot for Brown.
Paul George's debut shows why Celtics valued him in Jaylen Brown deal
While Portland did explore a trade for Brown, they ultimately decided he wasn't worth it, especially when it came to their analytics.
One concern is whether Brown's production and impact on winning justify his steep contract, especially with how financially selective teams must be under the new CBA. Brown is on the books for $57.1 million this season with a contract that runs through 2028-29, at which point it increases to $65 million.
That's a lot for the Blazers to commit to, especially when there's no guarantee that the star pairing of Deni Avdija and Brown would even be enough to elevate them into that tier of Western Conference contenders.
It would also add another layer of complexity when it comes to retaining Avdija, as the Blazers eventually must renegotiate and then extend his contract. Having Brown on the books for a total of $183 million over the next three years is a hurdle that Portland ultimately decided wasn't worth the added talent.
They surprisingly pivoted to Ja Morant, who is relatively cheaper and on a shorter-term deal. Morant makes $42.2 million this season and $44.9 million next season. That could even turn out to work in the Blazers' favor if they want to use his expiring contract as a salary filler to go star hunting next season.
There's also the fact that Portland only had to surrender Jerami Grant and Kris Murray for Morant. They were buying low on Morant, who already appears to be benefiting from a change of scenery in Portland.
Meanwhile, Brown was coming off an All-NBA Second Team appearance. That played a role in why some were puzzled as to why George was the best they could get in the return. However, early indications are that George is going to be a legitimate problem in Boston. If he keeps up this contribution throughout the season, the Celtics won't miss a beat by swapping Brown for George.
That suggests Portland would have had to give up far more than many realize to land Brown. With Morant off to a strong start in Portland, it's hard to blame them for deciding buying low was the better value.
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