Even if the Boston Celtics repeat as NBA champions this season, they’ll have challenging offseason decisions to make before the 2025-26 campaign begins.
Boston could trade a valuable NBA champion guard to the Detroit Pistons this summer, likely upsetting many Celtics fans.
Trading Jrue Holiday isn’t necessarily what the Boston Celtics will want to do, but with Jayson Tatum’s massive $314 million extension kicking in next year and the emergence of backup point guard Payton Pritchard this season, moving the 34-year-old now while he still has value makes sense,” Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz wrote Monday.
“Holiday will turn 35 in June and is having arguably his worst season since his rookie year in 2009-10. He’s no longer an elite defender and is owed $104.4 million over the next three seasons.”
“(Tobias) Harris can be a useful rotation piece next year and will be on an expiring contract. (Marcus) Sasser, 24, can fill some of Holiday’s backcourt minutes and Boston gets a pick in the 30s in this year’s draft.”
For clarity, Swartz’s trade proposal would send Holiday to the Pistons for Harris, Sasser, and a 2025 second-round pick (via Toronto Raptors).
Holiday’s first season with the Celtics was magical. The 6-foot-4 guard, known for forcing opponents to utilize their non-dominant hand, preparing for every counter in the book, and being a dependable long-range threat, played a pivotal role in Boston’s successful 2023-24 NBA championship quest.
In 19 postseason contests, Holiday averaged 13.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.1 steals per contest, shooting 50.3% from the field and 40.2% from deep.
The UCLA product has performed well with Boston so far this season, but there’s no question he’s taken a small step backward in Year 16 on both ends, which could be a sign that he’s slowly declining.
Harris and Sasser aren’t game-changing assets, but with the Celtics possessing two elite superstars in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the $65.4 million Pistons duo wouldn’t have to be stellar for the Celtics to remain in the top half of the Eastern Conference.
