The Celtics are “most definitely listening” to trade offers for Jrue Holiday, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reports in his latest Substack column (subscription required).
Boston has been expected to consider parting with the former All-Star as it tries to duck below the second apron for next season. The Celtics would face a historic payroll/tax bill by keeping the current roster together, and their chances to compete for a title have been lessened by Jayson Tatum‘s Achilles injury.
Holiday, who’ll turn 35 this week, is coming off another productive season, although his scoring average (11.1 PPG) was his lowest since his rookie year. He also contributed 4.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.1 steals in 62 games while playing 30.6 minutes per night and posting a .443/.353/.909 shooting line.
He’s a six-time All-Defensive honoree and remains one of the league’s top perimeter defenders.
Holiday has an expensive price tag after signing a four-year, $134.4MM extension last spring. He’ll make $32.4MM next season, $34.8MM in 2026/27 and holds a $37.2MM player option for 2027/28.
While the Celtics are trying to cut costs, they’ll almost certainly have to take back at least one contract in a Holiday deal, notes Brian Robb of MassLive. Brooklyn is the only team that could absorb Holiday into cap space, while anyone else would have to send back a minimum of $22.25MM in salary in June or nearly $24MM in July.
The Mavericks and Clippers are among the teams that have reportedly expressed interest in acquiring Holiday, although it has been suggested that L.A.’s interest is exaggerated.
Terrible contract extension
Not for holiday.
Not so much if Tatum hadn’t been injured for this season (which was why Boston did it), but Boston knew the pain was coming by 2027. It just arrived a year early.
Tatum got hurt with like 3 minutes left and they were losing by 13 or something like that. That game was pretty much done for and so was the series regardless of Tatum.
Yeah. He’s talking about the Celtics planning on having Tatum next season obviously.
I can see Dallas looking at him if they are offering Lively or Gafford in a deal for Holiday since Boston needs to replace their center. Lakers would need to offer Rui and Reeves for him not the usual Rob offers of Vincent and kleber that nobody wants.
arc89 , IMO, no way you will you see a player of the value of Lively or Reaves offered for Holiday.
This is a massively negative contract at $35M/yr for 3 years remaining at 35 years old. Holiday would likely help LA and Dallas this year, but it’s just too risky in years 2 and 3.
Celtics will need to sweeten this deal to move Holiday. Gafford would make sense for the Celtics because he has an expiring contract, but Dallas has no cap space for Holliday if they want to extend Kyrie.
It’s not massively negative.. that would imply that he has little to offer on the court. That isn’t the case.
If the Cs are okay dealing with their west coast rivals, I think Rui, Gabe Vincent & Knecht is probably a deal that helps both sides… elevates the Lakers contention chances, and gives the Cs the long term cap relief they want and 3 rotation players.
> It’s not massively negative.. that would imply that
> he has little to offer on the court.
No, that’s not the definition of a “negative contract”. A negative contract means that the player’s market value is less than the value of his contract.
No NBA team would sign a 35 year old Jrue Holiday to a 3 year deal for $105M at this point.
As for your proposed Lakers trade, which would return ~$33M in salary to the Celtics, the premise of the article is that the Celtics want less, not matching, salary in return. Assuming the Lakers can aggregate, Vincent and Hachimura, that deal might work. But I doubt you’d see the Lakers offering Knecht. I also don’t think you’d see the Lakers roll the dice on 3 years of 35 year old Holliday for $105M.
Yeah, I did consider that maybe Shake rounds it out rather than Knecht.
And Ari, I was just responding to *your* words, “massively negative” not just negative.
And part of the idea of payroll relief is to take on expiring contracts in exchange for long term obligations.
Check back in when the Holiday deals is done, youll be wrong. This 35 yr old has more value than Podz, moodey etc. And Boston aren’t helping the lakers do anything.
Ha ha… yeah could be right. 😁
No he definitely doesn’t at this point lol. You can’t overlook his age, injury history, rapidly declining production & price tag for a 35 yr old making 30 to 40 mill a year. That’s a negative contract. Podz can already replicate his numbers, not as good on defense but still good – & he’s young & still on a rookie contract. Podz is a substantially more valued asset at this point.
Ya, I think it’s massively negative.What contract out there is worse? Beale’s is bad but it’s got only 2 years left and Beal is 4 years younger. Maybe the worst contract in the NBA right now.
Paul George on line 1
With Kyrie injury and age he would not be somebody you want to extend. being that he will be 34 and coming off a torn ACL and a year off. Look how Thompson was never the same. Kyrie quickness will be not as quick anymore. Gafford and somebody like Thompson would make it work. Without reeves than it would be Rui and Vanderbilt.
arc89 , Klay had both ACL and Achilles injuries. Big difference over just an ACL.
The Mavs are committed to Kyrie. Nico Harrison said on April 22, well after Kyrie’s injury, that he intended to offer Kyrie a 3 year deal. A primary reason in trading for AD was how well he paired with Kyrie.
Holliday is a great 2 way player, but Dallas wouldn’t have enough offense without Kyrie.
Its a wait and see on Kyrie. The injury is different with each player and age is a big factor. If they rush him back like some article suggesting Jan 2026 could have a impact on another inury. You over compensate when one is injured which gives stress on teh other side.
> Its a wait and see on Kyrie. The injury is different
> with each player and age is a big factor.
If it’s a “wait and see”, Nico isn’t being truthful, but let’s look at that scenario.
TL;DR : you can’t pay both Holliday and Kyrie for more than 1 year without paying the $400M effective payroll (including luxury tax) that broke GSW and BOS.
Trading for Holliday has to happen this summer, which ties up $35M of cap space for the 2026-26 season.
In 2025-26: 5 players get all the money, the other 10 would be vet minimums. The 5 that get paid: Kyrie ($50M), AD, Flagg, Lively, Holliday. The others — Klay, Christie, Marshall, and Martin — will be dumped.
Estimated payroll for starting 5 in 2026-27:
Kyrie + AD + Jrue + Flagg + Lively = $175M
With Lively’s expected rookie extension in 2027-28, these 5 would make $200M. Effective payroll is above $400M. 2028-29 would be > $100M more.
Don’t trust Nico on anything he says. Luka trade was about giving iout a max contract to him. If they worried about Luka’s health they should be even more concerned about Irving. I doubt Irving does a team friendly contract so will they max out Irving or gamble on a 3 year deal with max money? So it comes down to who do they want more in the future Holiday or Irving? I don’t get the Holiday lost a step. He may have been tired from a championship season and then playing on the Olympic team. So bouncing back to a monster season is most likely.
Holliday is 35 years old. Every human being on the planet loses a step at 35.
Including Steph and Draymond and Jimmy.
True and by the time Kyrie is back he will be 35 too.
Ari I don’t believe your assessment is correct on value
I wouldnt use the formula what he could get on the free market as a barometer. There really isnt anymore “free market” today
Silver traded free agency for trades b/c well idk why but if we trace the roots it probably has a lot to do w LBJ East teams and your GSW teams of the 2010’s . I dont like but we are where we are
Now back to “free” markets”… There just isnt enough cap avail in the markets today to use your barometer tats why accruing bird and eraly bird rights is so valuable and sometimes having a guy make too little like Yabuselle (currently ) or Malik Monk (lakers) that dont have bird rights yet stings so bad……they walk usually for nada
* I do think Jrue is overpaid, I dont see Dallas giving PJ and Gaff for Jrue but w Nico who knows
**Reaves and Rui? Cmon Arc I know you hate the Lakers but damn that trade only makes your IQ look bad
They don’t need PJ with Cooper there. And their need for a PG is great. Gafford is an expiring contract. Lively is the future there. Holiday is perfect fit there with AD and Cooper. I do it at draft and try and get that 2nd rd Boston pick. They can work out the money. The value is there fir both teams.
Al. Nobody is fit for year 1. 8ts about the 2nd and 3rd years.
Crunch, Sure, these numbers always seem too high. But look at what happened with Butler and Paul George. It only takes 2 stupid or desperate teams to set the “market” price. Those teams inevitably regret their decisions by the 2nd or 3rd seasons. That’s all there is to it.
Let’s get to real numbers. TL,DR: no way Kyrie gets paid < $45M in 2026-27, and that’s the number that makes signing Holliday prohibitive. The Mavs have too many younger guys on team-friendly deals that would get squeezed. (And Klay’s unmovable 3 yr contract bites!)
Nico recently said about Kyrie and AD being treated like “twins”, suggesting Kyrie will get paid in the low to mid $50’s. IMO, the most likely scenario is that happens before Kyrie returns in Feb.
Crunch, I believe what you’re missing is that the Mavs will not risk a scenario where Kyrie isn’t signed before he returns this season (sorry arc89), because if he plays well that number jumps to $60M.
Here we go again with aristotles fake news. Klay signed a 3 year 50million deal. Roughly around 17m per year. Butlers contract is the unmovable contract at almost 55m per year. Hater just gotta hate. L take from Davey J’s father, aristotle.
Ha! Posters are complaining about Jrue’s contract? How about Kyrie’s contract? Seriously injured and only 2 years younger than Jrue and paid a boatload more. Plus he’s shorter, much weaker and hurts his teams by not playing defense.
Kyrie’s contract is up this year, and he’s 2 years younger. Whatever Kyrie gets on his next deal will reflect his market value
Holliday’s has three more years on it. And he’s 35.
I’d rather have and pay Jrue Holiday than Kyrie Irving. Kyrie plays parts of seasons, when he prefers, and he isn’t hurt which is often. Plus his ego is so large he’s messed up a couple teams including the Celtics.
They may have to pay someone to get off the contract if they really want to just dump all the money and take almost no contracts back.
I don’t you keep that center depth and offer PJ Washington or Nanji but I’d keep the latter with his play late season. Pj minutes are gone with Flagg, nanji, and two centers
Makes sense for Wolves. They will settle for Brogdan maybe.
Hey Presti, I’ll
Give you Holiday and Hauser for SGA
Presti slams phone down then unplugged it for the day…
Every team should do that when presti calls, period
Jimmy for Jrue and we dont talk about this anymore
Jimmy? Jones? Walker?
Gentle Jack Jones
Holiday is still a premier PG. Hasn’t had to really show it on Celtics. Especially with White upping his game. Dallas is the best place for him. There he will earn his pay and some. Plus he can play with Kyrie. And is a great fit n vet for AD and Cooper. PJ and Gafford gets it done. Plus Mavs can even get a pick with it. The 32 pick this year would be nice. Probably find a backup C there.
Al- sounds great… if there wasn’t such a thing as a CBA.
Nico says he intends to offer Kyrie a 3 year deal. There won’t be a discount. Plus, that unexpected 1st pick in the draft costs $14M/yr.
There’s a reason Gafford and PJ are on expiring contracts and haven’t been offered new deals.
Trading PJ and Gafford creates a massive hole in their roster. Their backcourt issue is solved by signing Brogdan or Schroder.
Do you and aristotle know who Gooper Flagg is ??
That’s the whole point of going after Holiday. It also assures they stay competitive if Kyrie is not back. No one is giving airhead Kyrie a new contract while he is recovering from a major injury. Kyrie will no doubt accept his PO. And Mavs will look at him at end of year. Holiday has a big year they don’t have to resign Kyrie.
aristotle — obviously has forgotten his history ….
Mavs don’t have cap space to sign either of those guards. Thats why you trade for one. Plus Holiday is a much better pro. Jrue is a future HOFer. Do any of you two understand that. This is not about finding a PG for Mavs. This is about adding a PG to AD, Cooper to compete this year …..
Isn’t that what I told you when I first suggested this trade after lottery. That you couldn’t understand then — aristotle the cap expert ?????
Trades are done for players. Teams want it they will get it done.
#32 pick is a 2nd rd pick lol.
The money for Gafford and PJ is close enough to be worked out. Horford is gone. Kornet is a FA. Gafford is an expiring contract. PJ for them is a reasonable contract.
aristotle and ShaqFoo both of you should really educate yourself on Holidays career. He is capable of leading this Mavs team to top of West standings. Plus he gives them another option other than Kyrie. A HOFer who has plenty left. And would be highly motivated in Dallas with those two.
When he was the lead guard on a team. Like he was on NO and Milwaukee. He put up 18 n 7. Plus he is 1st team all defense. He is one of best 2way guards of his generation. If you played this game. You can recognize where a player is needed. And where a player can give more of himself. I’m telling you Dallas is a perfect place for him. AD especially needs him. Also a great vet for Cooper to learn from. He is a better PG than Kyrie.
link to basketball-reference.com
aristotle does not know basketball. Its the way the kid talks that make it look like he knows something when he does not.
But I have to disagree with your trade. Gafford and PJ for a Holiday and a second round pick? Mavs are taking on 3 years of Holidays contract and the only compensation for that is a 2nd pick and trading away the Mavs best remaining asset?
While his age does align him with AD and Kyrie, that is still an underwhelming trade idea.
I don’t know about Ari, but I never heard of Gooper Flagg.
I really just don’t think the Mavs have interest in taking on that contract.
Shaq –
AD, Lively, and Flagg are the Mavs starting front line for the next 4 years
Both PJ ad Gafford are on expiring deals. Neither have been offered by Mavs. PJ has been made obsolete already by Cooper Flagg.
I expect both to be traded in a few weeks
Given the extensive injury histories of AD and lively, it would be a mistake to deal Gafford.
No doubt, Gafford would be nice to keep, but he’s a UFA at the end of this year. Dallas hasn’t offered him because he’ll be too expensive as a backup.
If Mavs don’t trade him now, they’ll lose him for nothing. Most people think he and/or PJ get traded for a PG this summer.
KnickerbockerAl, I guess you are a youngster. Have you ever heard the saying “you can’t beat Father Time” ?
Athletes lose it fast when they hit their mid 30’s.
He had a great career. He is 35. Now he is a role player. You don’t give a huge long-term contract to a 35 yr old. It can kill your team for several years.
They signed him for this year and next, but that’s not going to happen now. Tough contract to move without picks to go along.
padam, agreed… btw, he was signed for this year and next year AND the year after that. 3 more years for $105M.
Jrue Holliday was the key to the Celtics NBA title! And the Bucks’ title too. Other teams see that he’s a winner and a missing piece and will want him too. Trust in Stevens.
But at his age is he still that guy? He has been worse on 3/D and injuries over the last 3 seasons on a declining aging curve.
Jrue’s done what Celtics needed. As he’s done elsewhere. Celts didn’t need another scorer so he shot less but when games got tight he posted up or drained threes. I’d rather have Jrue, just turned 35, than Kyrie at 33. And at $10 million less per year.
> “Trust in Stevens”.
It’s the other 29 GM’s that make this call, not Stevens.
and at least a third of them do an awful job so…
That gets you back to “trust in Stevens”
That’s how he got Jrue in the first place. Another GM doing a horrible job.
No, in the end it will be the Celtics having the final say and making the call.
They need to get under the tax and everyone knows it. That and the expensive negative contract limit their leverage. So while I don’t agree that Jrue is a massive negative contract as of today—more like a moderately negative contract—the Celtics only have so many options.
Granted, Jrue is still a solid, versatile player who would fit on most contenders so there should be a number of suitors who will try to make the numbers. And I could see a few of those teams overpaying a bit for the immediate upgrade. But even overpaying will likely mean not much of a return for the Celtics.
Jrues value is due to the system they have at Boston. Place him anywhere else except for some contenders and you wont be getting a better Jrue Holiday.
Holiday’s overall solid season last year was qualified by the fact that he did, for the first time really, show some wear toward the end of last year. It’s unclear the role that injuries may have played. I don’t believe BOS will have any real issue moving JH now or at the deadline, but, if he can show he’s healthy early in the year, the return will be better at the deadline. Right now, they’d probably have to take back at least one similarly problematic contract. If he’s playing well, no real contender is going to care that much about the extra two years on his deal.
BOS, if they’re truly looking to cut substantial salary, should use the off season (while there’s at least some cap space around) to focus on the less complicated and higher cost saving move of trading KP (and his 30 mm expiring deal) this summer without taking back much or anything in salary. BKN has over 70 mm in cap space and in salary, and is apparently looking to sell it for draft capital. KP is a guy they can get an asset to take, and then another by flipping him at the deadline, if healthy. With him gone, BOS will have more flexibility with a JH deal (maybe even keep him).
Totally agree, My course of action would be nothing till the deadline, and if nothing tasteful came about then Id simply pass as well
They’ll be fine 365 days from now, its literally just money here and if new ownership cant take a hit for a year, well then they have bigger problems than any aprons will ever give them
I do like the idea of getting off Jrue today w White and Pritchard in tow but Im not overpaying to do it and not trying to inorganically push the issue . Im very skeptical they can land the (good) packages for jrue that ive seen floated out there
Anfernee Simons & Kris Murray for Jrue?
Who says no?
@ShaqFoo… I assume you forgot to add a bucket full of first round picks that BOS would have to add to make POR take on the awful contract and diminishing performance of Jrue, right?
Everyone wants mavs to be a super team now? Lol
Jrue is such a ‘Heat culture’ type of player that it’s hard to see him anywhere else.