Why Paul George Could DEFINE Celtics Future | Celtics Beat

Evan Valenti and Adam Kaufman bring in Bobby Krivitsky for a wide-ranging Celtics Beat covering everything ahead of the 2026-27 season. The guys open with the win total debate — is 50.5 the right number for a team that got harder to predict overnight? With Paul George and Jayson Tatum both candidates for load management, the schedule and depth chart take on new importance. Bobby breaks down why the Paul George fit makes more sense than the skeptics think, and why the young core — Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh, and Hugo Gonzalez — could be the real key to Boston's ceiling. Joe Mazzulla's seat gets examined, the Steph Curry trade rumors get firmly rejected, and Paul George's long-term value as an asset gets debated. The episode closes with a genuinely fun Celtics point guard Mount Rushmore argument — Rondo vs. Isaiah Thomas.

0:00 – Intro & Celtics season outlook
1:38 – Win total debate: over or under 50.5?
4:13 – Eastern Conference got harder — why that matters
8:16 – Load management: Paul George & Jayson Tatum's minutes
11:36 – Young core & the opportunity for Baylor, Walsh, Hugo Gonzalez
15:22 – PrizePicks
18:12 – Paul George fit & offensive identity
24:51 – The biggest concern: frontcourt depth
27:35 – This season's defining theme & questions
31:06 – Joe Mazzulla on the hot seat?
36:12 – Paul George as a future trade asset
43:00 – Steph Curry trade rumors: do the Celtics want him?
44:35 – Young roster depth & Ron Harper Jr. signing
48:02 – Doc Rivers' Hall of Fame speech reaction
53:24 – Best Celtics PG of all time: Rondo vs. Isaiah debate
59:22 – Outro

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