George says the backlash is fair — now he has to do something about it

Paul George held his introductory press conference Tuesday and didn't dodge the obvious. He acknowledged that Celtics fans' frustration with the trade is understandable, said "I understand the circumstances," and added that he has a chip on his shoulder to prove himself. That's the right tone. Whether it lands depends entirely on what happens once the games start.

George's case for optimism is straightforward enough: he's spent his career as a secondary scorer alongside other stars, and he said as much — "I can play off another superstar wing." The fit with Tatum, on paper, makes sense. But the partnership that Boston's entire offseason restructuring is built around has yet to share a floor, and Tatum remains day-to-day heading into camp. That designation has been attached to him since mid-July. It's now mid-September.

The backdrop doesn't get easier. Philadelphia added LeBron James to a roster that already includes Brown, Embiid, and Maxey. George and Conley arrived hungry, by their own account, to win a first title. The Eastern Conference they're walking into is not the one Boston expected when it made this trade.

George's press conference words were measured and self-aware. That's a start. But the proof-of-concept piece I noted after Brown's farewell still applies: this team hasn't shown anything yet, and it can't until Tatum is healthy enough to actually be on the court with the guy they traded Brown to get.