Bill Simmons has the perfect 'like a cat' explanation of Paul George as a player after Celtics trade

1 hour ago 4

Paul George is going to have a big role to fill in Boston.

The Celtics traded away Jaylen Brown, and yes they got picks back from the Philadelphia 76ers too, but George is the only part of that return who can help the Celtics immediately in the 2026-27 NBA season.

Celtics superfan and NBA analyst Bill Simmons has certainly had a lot to say on the subject, and he might've managed to explain PG13 as a player better than anyone ever has.

This is what Simmons said on a podcast after the trade:

“He’s like a cat. He will jump in your lap every once in a while. He’s super lovable. Other times, you’re like, ‘Where’s Paul George?’ ‘Oh, he’s in the garage.’”

MORE: Bronny James' best future doesn't involve a trade from Lakers

Incredible. No notes.

It feels particularly apt for the second half of George's NBA career. Early on, he was a dynamic star for the Indiana Pacers.

He's had forays to the Thunder, Clippers and 76ers since then, and he has never quite reached greater heights than those Pacers days.

MORE: C avaliers would form GOAT ending for LeBron James

Some of the "in the garage" concept here is injuries, of which George has had plenty.

But at this stage, he also just has the occasional game where he kind of floats around and doesn't make a huge impact.

For Boston, he's going to have to shoot the ball plenty, but he won't be as impactful as Brown.

Nothing George does will be inherently bothersome. But yeah, sometimes, you won't quite be able to find him.