The early speculation regarding the Celtics’ offseason is that Jrue Holiday is more likely to be moved than backcourt partner Derrick White, Marc Stein reports in his latest Substack article.
Holiday has three years remaining on a four-year, $134MM contract, which includes a $37.2MM player option in the final year of the deal. White’s four-year, $118MM extension, which kicks in next season, includes a $34.8MM player option for 2028/29.
Kristaps Porziņgis‘ $30.7MM expiring contract is viewed by outside executives as the most movable on Boston’s roster, according to Stein. However, Porzingis’ mysterious illness, which lingered during the final month of the regular season through the playoffs, may give potential suitors pause.
It should be noted that the need to make some roster adjustments was anticipated before Jayson Tatum‘s Achilles tendon injury, which will likely sideline him though next season. The Celtics’ brass is confronted by luxury tax concerns and tax apron constraints.
Here’s more from Stein:
- League sources tell Stein that Zion Williamson‘s presence at the draft lottery was indeed a signal from the Pelicans’ new front office that they’ll continue to make him the team’s centerpiece, rather than looking to deal him. Williamson represented New Orleans at the lottery, though he didn’t bring good luck — the club slid to the No. 7 pick.
- While the Mavericks haven’t been overt about it, they have no plans to field trade offers for the No. 1 overall pick. “Not even for Giannis (Antetokounmpo),” a source briefed on the team’s thinking told Stein. The team’s ownership and front office realize they must rebuild trust with their fan base by drafting Cooper Flagg as the new face of the franchise. The Mavericks are expected to soon secure their first in-person meeting with Flagg.
- New majority owner Patrick Dumont, who is based in Las Vegas, has visited Dallas multiple times since the Mavericks’ season ended in early April. That has reinforced the notion that Dumont remains in general manager Nico Harrison’s corner as the franchise’s top decision-maker, says Stein.
Zion was there for the buffet. And he ate the centerpiece.
Do you remember when far jokes were funny? Yeah, me neither.
They’re always funny. That’s where the word ‘joke’ comes into play, Libby.
You think jokes are “always funny”?
Interesting.
0% chance White is moved. Like come on, are we already doing this nonsense? Posing it as an actual question is laughable.
The Celtics probably won’t trade White but they should at least explore the possibilities. White is 30, he’s not old yet but he’s not young. He’s still owed $90 million. Pritchard makes $6.6 million is on a very team friendly deal. Roll the dice next season to see if Pritchard can be the starting Point Guard. If so they have a cheap $7 million PG for the next three seasons, and who wouldn’t love a competent $7 million starting PG? If not the Celtics get a better draft pick and Pritchard goes back to his bench role the season after.
Since I doubt the Celtics want to go into deeper teardown mode, I don’t see why he would be the guy to deal over the others. Yes, he’s 30 but the Celtics window is still open (aside from next season), he’s not reliant on athleticism, he’s a great fit with almost any roster, and his BBIQ is a strong asset in the playoffs. He’s the connecting piece championship contenders need. Moving him is likely a lateral move at best, even factoring in Pritchard’s ascension (and personally, I’d want to maintain that guard depth)
Obviously stars can align and cause you to trade guys you would otherwise have no interest in dealing, but other than that I don’t see dealing White being part of the plan, at least not before moving guys like Jrue and Porzingis or draft picks.
PJ Washington can hold it down till Jason comes back. That’s what I do. Holiday for PJ. Move Brown over to SG. Let White run team. Celtics are fine.
Washington fits perfectly. Wow good recommendation. He is exactly what they need
Yoooo I hope they do this !!!
Queta, Tillman, Walsh, last years pick, Davison, picks, cash, draft rights to their guys overseas for Washington maybe but the money is tight I guess
Hopefully Horford, Kornet and others come back on minimum contracts with incentives
Look at three young guys on two way contracts
Go for a championship. That’s what I would do.
Holiday will be a very sought after trade piece. I have no idea what the Celtics will get. There has been some speculation already and some of the trades offered are solid for the Cs. But he will be traded bc lots of teams would want him for their run at a title and Boston can cut salary by 10 million easy.
Porzingis is harder, but he is moveable. If the Celtics can somehow retain Kornet, which is hard, Porzingis gets more attractive bc of few Bigs on the market, but in all likely hood, Porzingis is going to a team with space and a pick is going with him to dump the salary.
Remember a few things non-Celtic people. Brad will not move Brown, he loves him and says regularly that he was always keeping Tatum and Brown together. Also, this is not the first Celtic team with Tatum and Brown…this is the third and at every version they have made it to the ECFs. The next version will depend on Tatum and that injury, but I have faith in JT. In fact I hope he changes his game from this and uses his size more.
Brad is a master at finding cheap pieces that contribute and then the Celtics are fantastic at developing those players. White, Kornet, Hauser, Pritchard (Ainge guy) are all players Boston got on the cheap and developed and they have a few more coming up next season. Boston might be the best at utilizing their G league team and getting players ready for the NBA.
Brad has two picks 28 and 32. I would bet they draft at both positions and stick both in the G League to develop, unless one is used for moving Porzingis. Boston will probably be a playoff team if Jaylen is healthy, but who can tell at this point which players will be brought back or if the new owner wants to keep certain players. Who knows really…BUT
Brad knows and he is the best at being a NBA GM.
> Holiday for PJ. Washington.
Not likely. Washington makes $14M and Holiday makes $35M, and Dallas doesn’t have the available cap space.
I can’t see a team that would take Holiday’s contract at this stage.
You’ve written that 3-4 times about Holiday already.
While he is a tad overpaid I’m sure you know he’s one of the best defensive guards in the game. He was guarding Towns for much of the playoffs.
Two years ago with Milwaukee he averaged 19 ppg on 15 shots. Last year he averaged 11 ppg on 9 shots. See what’s happenning there? He’s a 5th or 6th option on Boston.
His intangibles are off the charts. Coaches and teammates love him,.
While he is a bit overpaid, he’s definitely moveable.
You conveniently don’t mention the critical point: Holiday is 35 yrs old.
Like anybody not named Steph or Lebron, he’s in decline, both in performance and availability (i.e., RISK). Teams don’t want those contracts.
He’d be movable if had only 1 year left at $35M/yr, but he has 3 years left. If he were a free agent today, he’d get $10M-$15M for a 3 year deal.
Check out Horford’s contract. After a great year at 35 years old and making $28M/yr, he signed a two year deal for $9M/yr.
I didn’t “leave out” he is 35. Pretty sure we both knew that, especially since you post about Holiday every day.
You conveniently left out his defense and how he’s viewed by coaches and front office personnel.
I’m aware Holiday is overpaid. I’m also aware he can be moved.
> I’m aware Holiday is overpaid. I’m also aware he can
> be moved.
There you have it. Your logic has taken you to agreement with my point, which is also Mark Stein’s:
As you state, Holiday is a negative asset. And any negative asset can be moved by attaching sweeteners. Thus, the Celtics will need to add extra value in a trade to offset Holiday’s negative value.
Bucks should be all over this
Really don’t see much of a market for Jrue Holiday. He’s old and he’s owed a lot of money.
His production has fallen off a cliff.
Last year he averaged 11-4-4 and was below his career average in FG% and 3P%. His 11 points is second only to his rookie year otherwise that’s a career low.
Yes hes great defensively but even those numbers dropped 0.4 blocks and 1.1 steals.
He was 19th in defensive win shares.
Celtics don’t exactly need his defence as much as they did in the past. White is a great defender, Brown is a good defender, Tatum is a good defender and so on.
Honestly trade him while people still believe he’s worth something.
What I could see happening…
Jrue Holiday, Sam Hauser and the 28th overall pick for Tobias Harris and Isiah Stewart.
Pistons don’t have a first, Jalen Duren has established himself as the clear franchise centre and Tobias Harris would be on an expiring deal.
Holiday gives them a nice stat and vet to help Cade and Hauser gives them cheap depth and another shooter.
I think Detroit may look to make another big deal this offseason. They have some cap space, they just had a really solid year. Cades shown he’s the real deal. Get him a co star and your away.
Maybe Zion, Lauri or Kuminga, or smaller like Aldama or PJ?
Holiday averaged 11 points because he was the 5th or 6th option. That’s not bad production given that two guys take 50 shots a game between them. Mazzulla finally having confidence enough to play Pritchard took major minutes away from Holliday also. I think teams would love to have Holliday.
Also, he averaged 11 points per game because his 3 pt percentage was 35.3%, down from about 40% for the previous 5 year period and 42.9% last year. It’s a stretch to argue that he isn’t declining.
> Holiday averaged 11 points because he was the 5th or 6th option.
The point is that he’s now the 5th or 6th option. That’s a sign of his decline. He’s now 35 years old. Time waits for no one.
At 31 yrs old, with Milwaukee, Jrue was a legit #2 option on a good team, and a legit #3 option on a Championship team. Last season, he was a #4/#5 option with a Championship team, this year he was a #5/#6. When you hit 35 yrs old, the decline accelerates.
Why would Boston want to give up a pick to get Harris and Stewart?
Not sure you get what’s going on here.
@Ghost
I agree, Stevens would laugh at this proposal
We have entered the great jrue holiday debate. I feel like that third year makes the contract tough. Two years would look a lot more attractive. I think someone will want all his intangibles and be willing to take a little extra money to get him. Maybe the C’s pay some seconds to get a third team to take a smaller contract as part of the deal.
“I can’t see a team that would take Holiday’s contract at this stage.“
Holiday is a 2way player who can guard any guard. He can run the point better than White. Celtics really had too much of a good thing with both of them. And when Boston got him. He was suppose to be the lead guard. Its to White’s credit. That he has gotten better. Holiday is still a top PG who knows how to win. Boston will have no problem moving him. And he can play with Kyrie when he comes back. PJ is younger and excellent as a rotation guy when Jason comes back. And can start till. Makes excellent sense for both teams. That is what’s most important. Gafford’s contract and PJ works. Probably can get a 2nd rd pick from Boston. Gafford is an expiring contract which also works for Boston cutting salary. And in case Horford leaves.
I know I do it. For both teams.
Try reading comprehension. aristotle ——
first Holiday makes 32 mill next yr.
Gafford and PJ gets it done.
All rumors going around now. Is Jrue will be moved. It makes sense for Boston. Just like this trade makes perfect sense. You don’t have to like it.
Understand that trades are made for players. The money can always be worked out.
Al,
You’re missing the plot in Dallas. In short, acquiring Holiday means losing Kyrie Irving at the end of this year.
1. Dallas’ existing obligations for 2025-26, including Cooper Flagg but with only 13 heads, is ~$207M. That’s 2nd apron territory. Dallas needs to shed players/salary before this season. After this season, they’ll need to shed a bunch more salary.
2. Dallas is mostly concerned with paying Kyrie (in the last year of his contract) after this season, expecting to pay him about $60M/yr… about $17M more than his current $42M/yr.
3. Gafford and PJ are a combined $29M of EXPIRING contracts. Dallas needs that $29M off the books by the end of this year. after this season to free up the space to pay Kyrie. They 2 haven’t been offered extensions for that reason. If they’re traded, it’ll be for other expiring contracts. Replacing these expiring contracts with Holiday’s 3-year deal means the team can’t sign Kyrie next season.
(The Holiday contract *averages* the $35M over the years – about $32.4M this season, moving to $37.2M in third. That’s worse, not better, for Dallas.)
Ari- Id assume with a Holliday trade Dallas would be getting outta the KI business after this year
I agree tho they should just pass altogether, but Nico gonna Nico so we shall see, In my deal below they get to parcel off Klays 2 years as well and Im under the assumption they don’t re-up KI with the idea. Still dont love it (except for Bos)
A thing to rememebr this free agency is that there is an abundance of decent Pgs all hitting the marke at the same time
When the music goes off there wont be enough chairs and should result in some vet min Pgs avail that are pretty decent, Dallas can probably snag 2 of them as they have a clear path to pt/rebuilding value
Crunch,
I take all your takes seriously, so when one doesn’t make sense I take stock of my assumptions:
1. At 35, Holiday isn’t a championship quality PG anymore. He might be a great rental until Kyrie returns late this season, but Dallas wants to win a Chip. At 36 and 37 yrs, Jrue is a 6th man.. worth $10M/yr, not $37M.
2. The Mavs are offense-light and defense-heavy, with AD, Lively, Gafford, PJ, etc. Holiday excels as a defender, and he isn’t the #1A or #1B offensive option the Mavs need to pair with AD.
2. Kyrie has been a Top 10 offensive player the last 2 years and . we’ve been hearing from Nico and Dumont since the trade to pair his offense with AD’s defense. I’m buying that.
Where am I wrong?
Nowhere, I agree Dallas should look elsewhere for deals
But Nico loves D, it be a bad move in my books
I can see merit in wanting outta the Ki business tho after this last inj . The timeline just became so different over night . They have good pieces to trade like PJ and Gafford so agree aim higher/better
KnickerbockerAl, it all sounds great in terms of Holiday filling in for Kyrie until Kyrie returns. And Dallas desperately needs to trade PJ Washington with the (surprise) arrival of Cooper Flagg and Anthony Davis the full-time PF. But this deal can’t happen.
The problem with your trade idea is that Holiday makes $21M more than PJ Washington, and Dallas was already over-extended before Flagg’s $14M rookie contract landed. Dallas does not have room for Jrue Holiday’s $35M/yr deal.
Dallas would need to send $35M back to Boston. PJ counts for $14M. Klay Thompson’s $18M would help, but there are 2 more years on it, so it doesn’t help Boston get under the second apron, which is their biggest goal.
CBA means no one trades good picks on rookie scale prices.
This works financially and {maybe} for everyone
Dallas – Holliday
Orl- Klay
Bos- Pj and Cole Anthony
4th tank team – picks up mult 2nd rders taking in Powell (Dal) and Jett Howard (Orl) for money/apron reasons
Nobody expends a 1st rder and they divvy up the 2nds to 4th team amongst them all (maybe 1 a pioece )
Crunch, very cool, I can see how the number work.
As a Warriors fan, thank God you don’t work for Rob Pelinka.