The incorporation of Jrue Holiday, from Milwaukee, allowed the Celtics to conquer their 18th NBA championship during the last season. However, the organization, which is going through a restructuring stage, decided to transfer Holiday to the Trail Blazers.
Boston will get Anfernee Simons and two second round selections in this exchange. The decision to transfer Holiday, who enjoyed his first campaign in Boston as six times selected for the All-Defensive team.
Holiday had arrived in Portland after being transferred from Milwaukee Bucks in September 2023, when Milwaukee acquired the All-Star Damian Lillard. A few days later, he was sent to the Celtics, where he quickly became a starter and contributed to the second title of his career in June of the previous year.
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Leave the Suns de Phoenix behind an agreement that also involved Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green, in addition to multiple draft selections.
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Despite this change, the Celtics lost a second key player in their alignment. The All-Nba eaves Jayson Tatum underwent surgery due to an Achilles tendon injury suffered in the semifinals of the East Conference against the New York Knicks.
Simons could be an important contribution in the offensive aspect, having averaged 19.3 points last season and reach a personal record of 22.6 points per game in 2023-24. However, Boston will also miss the defense and leadership that Holiday provided, since he averaged 11.1 points in the previous campaign, his lowest figure since his rookie year in 2009-10.
The transfer of Holiday could also be related to its high salary, as it remains 104.4 million dollars in three years of contract, added to the important contracts of Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
Holiday, who helped Bucks obtain the NBA title in 2021, has averaged 15.8 points throughout his 16 -year career, in which he has had stages with Philadelphia and New Orleans.
