Following the Boston Celtics’ introductory press conference for veteran forward Paul George, ESPN’s NBA Today panel debated whether the 9x All-Star struck the right tone in his inaugural remarks. While host Hannah Storm praised George’s initial statements as an ideal entrance, Kendrick Perkins gave it a poor grade. The former Celtics champion pushed back, arguing that Boston’s demanding fanbase expects a far higher standard than deference and diplomacy.
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During Tuesday’s introductory presser, PG emphasized his desire to serve as a supporting co-star next to franchise anchor Jayson Tatum. “We have a superstar, and that’s J.T.,” George said. “I’m not here to necessarily steal the shine or try to reinvent who I am. I’m here to help J.T., and he’s the guy.”
Immediately after, Storm opened the studio discussion by calling it “winning the press conference” and saying, “It doesn’t get much better than that opening statement.” However, Perkins immediately countered her assessment, invoking his personal experience wearing the iconic green and white.
“Well, well, Hannah, I disagree. I didn’t see him winning the press conference because as a guy that played with the Celtics, the Celtic fan base don’t want to hear that type of nonsense,” Perkins stated. “They, you know, it’s certain cities that it’s championships or bust. They want to hear you come in with a certain level of confidence that’s saying I’m about to help elevate this organization and get them back to where they need to be. And that’s ultimate goal winning one, winning another one.”
Perkins felt Paul George’s introductory comments glossed over the heavy expectations resting on Tatum’s shoulders heading into the 2026–27 campaign.
“Outside of that, the elephant in the room, and that ain’t me. I know you know the elephant in the room. It ain’t me,” Perkins added, even getting a lot of laughs for the ‘elephant’ joke. “It’s Jayson Tatum. Jayson Tatum is on the clock. The pressure is on. He has been one that has said that he wants to win the MVP. He feel like he’s the best player in the league.
“Well, guess what? Jaylen Brown finished in the MVP conversation last year. Jaylen Brown led this team to the second-best record in the Eastern Conference. Jaylen Brown carried that team when everybody thought they were gonna be tanking, and it kept them relevant. Jayson Tatum had—the Celtics picked a side, and they chose Jayson Tatum, and I’m okay with that. But make no mistake about it. Him, Anthony Edwards, Luka Doncic, all of those guys are on the clock, and he’s under some pressure this year to deliver.”
Perk’s impassioned breakdown comes amid lingering fan tension over Boston’s blockbuster offseason trade that sent long-time cornerstone Jaylen Brown to the rival Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for George. Brown had spent nine seasons in Boston, helping bring Banner 18 to TD Garden in 2024 before steering the franchise through an intense 2025–26 season while Tatum was injured.
At 36 years old, George arrives in Boston following two injury-plagued seasons in Philadelphia, past his prime, after being limited to 78 total regular-season games due to knee and adductor injuries, along with a midseason league suspension. Despite those setbacks, George finished his second year in Philly strong, averaging 21 points per game on 47/42/74 shooting splits over his final 10 games before facing the Celtics in the postseason.
At the introductory presser, George acknowledged the emotional weight of replacing Brown while expressing confidence in his physical health heading into training camp.
“I understand the circumstances. I understand how huge J.B. was, not only for the organization, but here in the city,” George told reporters. “I feel great. I feel really good physically… My body has naturally just healed. It’s almost like a kind of rebirth.”
While George expressed eagerness to fit alongside Tatum, the pressure now falls squarely on the Celtics’ primary superstar and head coach, Joe Mazzulla, to integrate new additions Mike Conley Jr. and Mitchell Robinson into an environment where anything short of a championship represents failure.