Jrue Holiday could be the odd man out as the Boston Celtics look to get under the second apron of the NBA luxury tax this offseason.
Holiday has three years and roughly $104 million remaining on his current contract. Boston must shed at least $20 million in salary this offseason to get under the second apron threshold.
That makes the 35-year-old guard — along with big man Kristaps Porzingis and sharpshooter Sam Hauser — a prime candidate to be moved this summer. But which teams would make sensible trade partners for the Celtics in such a deal?
ESPN NBA front office insider and former Brooklyn Nets general manager Bobby Marks joined the latest episode of NBC Sports Boston’s The Off C’season to share his take on what a Holiday trade could look like. NBC Sports Boston’s Celtics insider Chris Forsberg mentioned the Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks as possible fits and asked Marks whether Boston may have to attach a draft pick to move Holiday’s contract.
“I don’t think a pick. Both of the two teams you mentioned, Chris, are interesting to me with Dallas and the Clips,” Marks said. “They’re interesting to me because they have two players who have player options with Kyrie Irving (Mavericks) and James Harden with the Clippers. What happens with both those players I think will play a significant role as far as what the flexibility that the Clips will have and Dallas will have.
“The goal in Dallas is, if you can try to lower that $43 million Irving option, and now that gives you operational power to maybe aggregate contracts, and the same with the Clips with Harden at $36-$37 million. So those would probably be the two teams that I would probably circle as far as if there is a Jrue potential deal to be. I still think Jrue’s a heck of a player, and I don’t think you have to attach a pick to his contract.”
The Mavs were linked to Holiday in trade rumors as early as last month. Also connected to the veteran are the Sacramento Kings, though it’s tougher to find a deal that makes sense with their lackluster roster.
Holiday played a huge role during the Celtics’ 2024 championship campaign, but his production dipped last season. His 11.1 points per game marked his lowest single-season scoring average since his 2009-10 rookie year. His 35.3 3-point percentage was his lowest since 2018-19.
Another factor is Boston’s backcourt depth with Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and Payton Pritchard. The Celtics could move Holiday and make a much-needed frontcourt addition with big men Al Horford and Luke Kornet both set to become free agents.
Watch the full episode of The Off C’season with Marks, Forsberg, Kevin O’Connor, and Drew Carter below:
