The Boston Celtics are facing down the barrel of arguably the most expensive roster in pro sports history. Their salary and luxury tax bill for next season is predicted to cross $500 million, as the reigning NBA Champions rewarded almost every member of their championship-winning roster with long-term contract extensions.
However, the new NBA cap realities have made it impossible for teams to have such expensive payrolls and have a sustainable roster around it. If the Celtics fail to win a title this season, the first move on the new ownership's behest could be to make the team's salary sheet cleaner.
Rumors suggest that either Jrue Holiday or Kristaps Porzingis could wind up leaving the franchise. With Porzingis's injury history and minimal market value, it comes down to Holiday being Boston's best trade asset. He's averaging 11.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 35.0% from three-point range.
Let's take a look at a few Jrue Holiday trades the Celtics can likely explore this summer.
Detroit Pistons
Trade Details
Boston Celtics Receive: Tobias Harris, 2029 First-Round Pick (DET)
Detroit Pistons Receive: Jrue Holiday
If there's any NBA team Jrue Holiday would be perfect for, it's the Detroit Pistons. While the Celtics won't want to send Holiday to a rising Eastern rival like the Pistons, this offer is really hard to turn down. Not only does it add a veteran to the roster, Tobias Harris' $27 million contract will come off the books next season compared to Holiday's more expensive deal in 2029.
Harris is averaging 13.8 points and 6.1 rebounds this season. While he won't be a core player for the squad, he'd be a fantastic rotational addition who can help boost the franchise forward. Getting a Pistons draft pick as well is great for the franchise, which continues slyly adding draft assets. This isn't the best win-now move, but it adds bench depth to a relatively weak Celtics frontcourt.
The Pistons can run an aggressive defensive backcourt with Cade Cunningham carrying the offense and Holiday proving to be an offensively reliable POA defender. Options like Ausar Thompson or Jaden Ivey bring one-way skills to the spot, but Holiday would be a fantastic two-way option who can help build on the Playoff season the Pistons have had this year
San Antonio Spurs
Dec 23, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) shoots the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers during the fourth quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Trade Details
Boston Celtics Receive: Harrison Barnes, Malaki Branham, Blake Wesley, 2028 First-Round Pick (SAS)
San Antonio Spurs Receive: Jrue Holiday
The San Antonio Spurs are desperately looking for a guard who could emulate Jrue Holiday, which explains why they selected Stephon Castle in the draft last summer and the role he fulfills on the Spurs. He's very far from where he needs to be offensively on a competitive roster, so the Spurs should consider bringing in someone like Holiday for a few seasons to give the players a winning blueprint.
The Celtics could add two real rotational contributors, with Barnes averaging 11.7 points and 3.7 rebounds this season and Branham averaging 4.1 points. Wesley still has some room to develop before being a reliable rotational player, but it helps the Celtics be good now as well as in the future.
The Spurs will hope that Castle learns from Holiday and develops himself into that mold to be the perfect long-term and low-maintenance guard for the franchise in the Victor Wembanyama era.
Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) in the first half against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
Trade Details
Boston Celtics Receive: Desmond Bane, Vince Williams Jr.
Memphis Grizzlies Receive: Jrue Holiday, Sam Hauser, 2030 First-Round Pick (BOS)
The first two proposals show the Celtics taking a conservative route by flipping Holiday for short-term contracts, which add depth to the squad. However, the Celtics are in the middle of a win-now window under an ambitious new ownership. It's just as likely that the Celtics will try to make an even more aggressive win-now move to extend their contention timeline by acquiring Desmond Bane.
Bane is a star 3-and-D guard who is averaging 18.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 5.4 assists this season. While his numbers have been down in a transition year for the Grizzlies with an odd role, he would thrive in Boston with his shooting prowess. Moving Derrick White to point guard and adding Bane next to him would complete a lethal backcourt pairing, with Bane better-equipped to lighten the offensive load.
Holiday would form a strong backcourt with Ja Morant, essentially a higher-end version of what Morant did with Marcus Smart. Holiday is also a fantastic winning veteran to come into the roster and give the youngsters a roadmap to success after recent years have been filled with turmoil. He can rejuvenate that franchise, while the Grizzlies could set the Celtics up for years of success with Bane.
