Outside of Jayson Tatum, everyone on the Boston Celtics roster is potentially available for trade, assuming the price is right. Brad Stevens faces the difficult task of retooling the current rotation while simultaneously ducking the second apron luxury tax.
According to Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale, Jrue Holiday is the most likely member of the Celtics roster to be traded this summer. The veteran guard is a two-time NBA champion and a proven winner. Therefore, multiple teams will be willing to try to pry him away from the TD Garden.
“Having just turned 35, the backcourt defensive ace isn’t going to be part of the next great Celtics team,” Favale wrote. “Next year is kaput while Tatum recovers from his Achilles injury, and Boston may need a feeling-out season in 2026-27 when he returns. Holiday will be entering his age-37 campaign by the time this team is anywhere close to whole again.”
Favale continued.
“Moving him should be even easier knowing the Celtics won’t be trying to extract value. Just breaking him up into multiple smaller contracts that are easier to reroute can go a long way, and at least one suitor should be enticed by the idea of exchanging filler for an All-Defense punch.”
Stevens must find a way of getting fair value in return for some of his best players. That means, Holiday shouldn’t be allowed to leave unless the deal makes sense for both teams.
Celtics Could Move Holiday in 3-Team Deal
In a recent episode of the “Zach Lowe Show” podcast, Lowe suggested that Holiday could be used as a makeweight in a larger deal involving Kevin Durant.
“The focus for me is on Jrue Holiday,” Lowe said. “I’ve heard that there have been at least very broad discussions of three-team, Durant-related trades where Jrue Holiday is (included). I think these could be conjured by Phoenix in hopes of getting a deal done, more-or-less, where Jrue Holiday moves somewhere. Just like he was the shrapnel in the (Damian Lillard) trade and ended up in Boston.”
Lowe later took to X to clarify that Boston wouldn’t be the team receiving Durant in this instance. Rather, the Celtics would be facilitating the move while parting with Holiday’s $134 million contract in the process.
“One clarification here (because) we rushed at end — when I mentioned the very broad idea of 3-team trades involving Jrue Holiday + KD, I meant to indicate KD would go to the third team in those deals (i.e. maybe a team on his list) — and NOT to Boston,” Lowe wrote on social media. “The Celtics are NOT looking to trade for KD. I don’t think such a 3-team trade is really in the ether anyway. Thought this would be obvious but should have stated more clearly.”
The La Clippers Could Target Holiday
In a May 28 report from Brian Robb of Masslive.com, the LA Clippers were name-dropped as a potential team to have interest in acquiring Holiday.
“Holiday is expected to be pursued by several teams on the trade market, and a league source tells MassLive that the Los Angeles Clippers are one team expected to show interest in the 34-year-old guard this offseason,” Robb reported. “Holiday is also from Los Angeles and played college basketball at UCLA before the 76ers drafted him in 2009.”
Sending Holiday to his hometown team could work out well. The Celtics would be doing right by a player who helped them win a championship. Therefore, trading Holiday wouldn’t hurt their reputation around the league. Furthermore, Holiday would be closer to home, which he would likely welcome.
Of course, Boston must ensure it gets a fair trade package. Fortunately, the Clippers have multiple trade assets to play with. Holiday would be a strong fit next to James Harden. Nevertheless, the Clippers won’t be the only interested team. It will be interesting to see where he eventually lands. That’s if he’s traded at all.
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