Paul George’s Celtics debut shows why Blazers didn’t trade for Jaylen Brown

Rip City Project argues that Paul George's strong debut for the Boston Celtics illustrates why the Portland Trail Blazers opted against trading for Jaylen Brown. George scored 38 points in Boston's 121-113 loss to the Detroit Pistons, which writer Reese Kunz suggests indicates Boston's high valuation of George and means Portland would have had to surrender far more assets to acquire Brown than commonly assumed.

The writer notes that Portland avoided Brown's steep contract, which owes $183 million over three seasons, to protect their future flexibility and retain Deni Avdija. Instead, Portland pivoted to acquiring Ja Morant by trading Jerami Grant and Kris Murray, securing a shorter-term deal that better fits the franchise's financial and competitive plans.