The Boston Celtics lifted Banner 18 just a season ago, but with Jayson Tatum sidelined for most of next year and the second apron looming large, no one on the roster is truly untouchable.
That includes Jrue Holiday.
According to The Athletic’s Jay King and Christian Clark, league insiders are keeping an eye on the Dallas Mavericks as a potential landing spot for Holiday. With Kyrie Irving recovering from a torn ACL and Brandon Williams the only healthy point guard on the roster, Dallas may have no choice but to swing big.
And Jrue fits the bill.
Dallas Could Make the Call
Holiday might be 35. But he still checks boxes for a contending team. He’s a multi-positional defender. A steadying locker-room voice. And the kind of low-maintenance veteran who doesn’t need touches to impact winning. He’s won everywhere he’s gone — from Milwaukee to Boston — and Dallas, which in the past year experienced both a Finals defeat and the stunning trade of Luka Dončić, is desperate for that kind of presence.
With Anthony Davis and the newly drafted Cooper Flagg already in place, the Mavericks could plug Holiday in immediately while waiting on Irving to return. He gives them instant stability and fits GM Nico Harrison’s defense-first philosophy.
From the Celtics’ end, this move would be less about talent and more about flexibility.
Celtics’ Cap Cuts and Frontcourt Fixes
Maddie Meyer/Getty Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and the Celtics ended the season on a disappointing note.
The Celtics are facing brutal financial realities. Heading into 2025–26, they’ll need to shed upwards of $20 million to duck under the second apron. Holiday is owed $104 million over the next three years. That includes a $37.2 million player option in 2027–28. For a team trying to build around Jaylen Brown and Tatum long-term. That kind of commitment to a mid-30s guard may not be feasible.
If Dallas were to offer P.J. Washington or Daniel Gafford — both on expiring deals — it could address Boston’s frontcourt depth with Kristaps Porzingis on the trade block and both Al Horford and Luke Kornet entering free agency.
To truly benefit, the Celtics would likely need to loop in a third team to help absorb salary and increase savings. But even without one, Holiday’s name is one to watch as Brad Stevens retools for the future.
The Bottom Line
Holiday isn’t being shopped. But he’s not off-limits either. For a Celtics team forced to make hard choices. The chance to save money — and gain youth — might outweigh keeping an aging guard on a championship-sized contract.
The Mavericks need a point guard. The Celtics need financial breathing room. And the NBA offseason is just getting started.
