What happened: George addressed Boston fans' cool initial reception to the deal and said he holds no hard feelings about it. Boston brought him in this summer, pairing him with the same Jayson Tatum who joined him for offseason workouts on the wing.

Why it matters: Boston tied its 2026-27 contention to a new Tatum-George axis after moving on from a core piece. How quickly the duo clicks will define Boston's early returns on the swap.

What to watch: Boston's camp and preseason offer first extended Tatum-George minutes.