Several reports have pointed to the Boston Celtics targeting Jrue Holiday in a trade following the two-time All-Star’s departure from Milwaukee. NBA insiders Adrian Wojnarowski and Shams Charania have both mentioned Boston as a strong Eastern Conference candidate in the impending Holiday sweepstakes.
If they are willing to part from them, Boston has the necessary assets to complete a deal with the Portland Trail Blazers. According to NBA writer Jake Weinbach, the Celtics could offer Portland “a package of Malcolm Brogdon, Robert Williams III, and a 2024 first-round pick.” Leaguewide reports suggest that Boston will aggressively pursue Holiday.
Having lost Marcus Smart in the offseason, the Celtics would gain a two-way beast who could replace a lot of what Smart did as a perimeter defender while giving Boston more offensive firepower at the point guard position.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Jrue Holiday, Portland Trail Blazers & Boston Celtics Updates
After Derrick White’s ascension last season, the Celtics may not view Holiday as a must-have addition to their roster. However, a player of his caliber could very well move the needle for a contending team like Boston.
Holiday was an All-Star last season, averaging 19.3 points and 7.4 assists on 47.9% shooting from the field and 38.4% shooting from three. He also made the NBA All-Defensive First Team for the fifth time in his career.
Needless to say, Holiday played incredible basketball during the 2022-23 campaign. If he were to join the Celtics, he would serve as one of the league’s best fourth options in recent memory.
Boston is expected to use Jayson Tatum as more of a playmaker this season, and new addition Kristaps Porzingis showed serious improvement as a passer with the Wizards. However, Holiday would immediately become the go-to distributor for the 2022 finalists, and he would take a huge ball-handling load off of Tatum and company.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Jrue Holiday, Portland Trail Blazers & Boston Celtics Updates
Regardless of whether they acquire Holiday or not, the Celtics will enter the 2023-24 season as legitimate title contenders. Boston’s interior defense would take an enormous hit if the team lost its defensive anchor and primary rim protector in Williams III. Meanwhile, Brogdon put together quite the season himself as he won Sixth Man of the Year while pouring in 14.9 points per game off the bench with an otherworldly 44.4% clip from three.
The Holiday trade talks will continue to heat up in the coming days, and the Celtics will surely stay in the mix. No matter where the veteran point guard ends up, the deal will shake things up even more as the NBA season looms closer.
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