Paul George's Celtics debut and the reported $110m Podziemski deal headline the NBA preseason
Paul George scored 13 points in his Boston Celtics debut, and Brandin Podziemski's reported $110 million Golden State extension headlined a busy preseason weekend.
Paul George made his Boston Celtics debut on 10 October, scoring 13 points in a 144-106 preseason win over Philadelphia, per the Boston Globe and NBC Sports. ESPN reported the same day that Brandin Podziemski had agreed a five-year extension with Golden State, reported at $110 million.
From the trade to the floor
The trade that brought George to Boston was agreed on 1 July. ESPN reported that the Celtics agreed to send Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia in exchange for George, a 2028 first-round pick, Philadelphia's unprotected 2031 first and two second-round picks.
NBC Sports had his line at 13 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 5 steals, on 3-of-10 shooting from the field and 5-of-6 from the line.
| George, Celtics debut | Line |
|---|---|
| Points | 13 |
| Rebounds | 5 |
| Assists | 4 |
| Steals | 5 |
| Field goals | 3 of 10 |
| Free throws | 5 of 6 |
George told the Boston Globe:
"It is like a badge of honor to wear that green," and "I'm still finding my way offensively and figuring out the system."
How Boston won the game
Boston's win ran on shooting and the boards. ESPN's box score has the Celtics at 52% from the field (50 of 96) and 46% from three (22 of 48), and they out-rebounded Philadelphia 63-34. Payton Pritchard led the way with 25 points on 7-of-12 shooting and 6-of-6 from the free-throw line, per ESPN, while Neemias Queta added 10 rebounds.
Boston committed 20 turnovers to Philadelphia's 23, ESPN reports. The Celtics led 63-42 at half-time, having scored 24 and 39 in the first two quarters against Philadelphia's 20 and 22, and a 41-27 third quarter kept the margin growing. VJ Edgecombe led the 76ers with 19 points, per ESPN.
The money: George's contract and Podziemski's extension
George, 36, is a nine-time All-Star. ESPN reports that he earns $54.1 million this season and holds a $56.6 million player option for 2027-28.
The Warriors' deal is built differently. ESPN reported a five-year rookie-scale extension through 2031-32, fully guaranteed, with a mutual option in the final season and a trade kicker. The Warriors did not disclose the terms, so the $110 million figure comes from reporting, AP says.
| Player | Item | Figure |
|---|---|---|
| George | Salary this season | $54.1 million |
| George | Player option for 2027-28 | $56.6 million |
| Podziemski | Length | Five years, through 2031-32 |
| Podziemski | Reported value | $110 million (not disclosed by the Warriors) |
Golden State's case for Podziemski
Podziemski framed the deal in terms of trust. He told ESPN:
"For me it shows a sign of faith and trust on their end, wanting me here."
General manager Mike Dunleavy told AP, "We're thrilled to get an extension done with Brandin prior to the deadline." ESPN reports that Steve Kerr said, "Brandin is a huge part of our team," and added, "He makes people better. He understands the game."
The rest of the weekend's news
Sacramento Kings center Maxime Raynaud suffered a right patellar subluxation in a 111-106 preseason loss at Golden State on 10 October. An MRI showed no serious ligament damage, and he will be re-evaluated in about two weeks, ESPN reports.
In Macao, Marcus Smart scored 20 points for the Houston Rockets, but the team lost 132-115 to Dallas on 11 October, CBS Sports reports.
What comes next
Boston opened the preseason 2-0 with a 124-113 win at Cleveland on 8 October, ESPN's schedule shows. The regular season starts on 20 October 2026, and NBA.com lists Boston at Detroit among the opening games. Before then, three things are worth tracking: whether George's shooting improves as he settles into the system, how the Warriors use Podziemski, and what Raynaud's re-evaluation shows.