The Boston Celtics have officially started to tear down their championship-winning team from just two seasons ago.
Just weeks into the offseason, Boston has now traded two of their top stars who were major factors in their 2023-24 title run. The Celtics have sent out both Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis in hopes of falling below the second-apron luxury tax in a Jayson Tatum-less roster for next season.
While the moves do allow them more financial flexibility, ESPN’s Kevin Pelton believes that the Holiday move in particular won’t benefit them on the court next season.
“Swapping Holiday for Simons doesn’t necessarily provide massive savings for the Celtics,” Pelton wrote. “This trade is a major defensive downgrade for the Celtics, who excelled by giving opponents no weak links to attack in their starting five.”
Celtics Send Holiday Out
Boston traded Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers for Anfernee Simons and two second-round picks. Even with the Celtics escaping a massive luxury tax payment, the move significantly changes their roster for the future. Pelton also said that the move is beneficial in terms of replacing Tatum’s scoring, but will drastically worsen their defense.
“In particular, Simons should help Boston replace Tatum’s penchant for making 3s off the dribble. His 135 unassisted 3s ranked fourth in the NBA last season,” Pelton wrote. “The 6-foot-3 Simons has historically been rated as one of the league’s worst defenders in terms of plus-minus impact, adjusted for teammates, opponents and shooting luck.”
Before the 2024 playoffs began, Boston gave Holiday a four-year $135 million extension. Even at 35 years old, he remains one of the NBA’s top on-ball defenders. But after the Tatum injury, the contract was too large for a team lacking hopes of a title run next season.
Instead, they land Simons, who is in the last year of a four-year $100 million deal he signed with Portland in 2022. Boston saves just $5 million in annual payroll for next season, but the move puts a younger scorer next to Jaylen Brown and Derrick White.
Porzingis Leaves As Expiring Contract
Along with sending out Holiday, Boston traded Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks in a deal that saw them land Georges Niang and a second-round pick. While they didn’t back a definite starter in return, the trade gets Boston off the $30 million they owe Porzingis next season.
According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, both deals help them save $180 million in tax payments next season. However, it significantly changes their frontcourt depth, leaving Neemias Queta, Xavier Tillman, and Luke Kornet as the only big men on their roster for next year.
Pelton also hinted at Boston making another offseason move to fully fit under the second apron of the luxury tax. While they did get off two of their larger contracts, both trades don’t fully put them in the clear. Adding Simons puts him alongside players like White and Payton Pritchard in the Celtics’ backcourt, but Pelton believes they should have made a move for a big man, especially after sending away Porzingis.
“The Celtics will need bigger moves to avoid the second apron but already stand to cut $40 million or so from their tax bill,” Pelton wrote after the Holiday trade. “If Boston could have built a deal with the Dallas Mavericks around forward P.J. Washington, a better defender who could complement Tatum when he returns, it would’ve been better.”
While Holiday and Porzingis were massive factors in Boston winning their league-leading 18th championship, the price tags of both players were a set too high. Especially after the Tatum injury that changed their plans, Boston has now saved a ton of money, but Pelton believes they could have found other deals to put together a stronger roster for next season.
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