The Boston Celtics' 81-119 loss to the New York Knicks in Game 6 ended their hopes of winning back-to-back NBA championships. In addition, it could be the end of an era for their starting lineup—Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Kristaps Porzingis.
According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, the Celtics have $464 million on the books for next season between payroll and repeat luxury tax penalties. And, if the team keeps its draft picks, doesn’t trade anyone, and fills out its roster with league-minimum players, that number could soar above $500 million. Chances are, new owner Bill Chisholm does not want to pay half a billion dollars to bring back a team that failed to reach the Eastern Conference Finals.
In addition to losing the series, the Celtics lost their superstar, Jayson Tatum, indefinitely after he ruptured his Achilles tendon in Game 4. Without their best player, the Boston Celtics are no longer title contenders next season. Instead, the team should consider retooling—trading away some of the team’s more expensive veterans to get quality players and draft picks.
Bill Simmons' Proposed Celtics Trade Is a Good Idea
On his popular podcast, Bill Simmons on his podcast proposed such a trade with the up-and-coming Houston Rockets, who got eliminated by the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the playoffs. In the trade, the Celtics would send Jaylen Brown and Jrue Holiday to Houston in exchange for Fred VanVleet, Jabari Smith Jr, Tari Eason, and the tenth overall pick in next month’s NBA Draft.
This trade would be a win-win for both sides. The Rockets get Holiday, a proven defender who has won two championships, and one of the best two-way wings in the league in Brown, who can also be their closer down the stretch of games. For the Celtics, they get back a huge return; a championship point guard in Fred VanVleet (14.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 5.6 assists), a 24-year-old wing in Tari Eason (12 points and 6.4 rebounds), and a 22-year-old stretch big in Jabari Smith Jr. (12.2 points and 7 rebounds).
The icing on the cake is the tenth overall pick in the draft, where the Celtics could draft their center of the future in Maryland freshman Derik Queen, or trade it along with their 28th pick in the draft for more assets.
While the Celtics would be painfully giving up the best player in the trade and breaking up the best wing duo in the league, their financial situation needs a reset. Moving Brown and Holiday not only gets them under the second apron of the luxury tax, but it also sets them up for long-term sustainability without falling into a complete rebuild.
In a tough situation brought on by injury, high expectations, and an unsustainable payroll, this proposed trade could offer Boston the flexibility, youth, and upside they desperately need. It may not be the path fans want, but it might be the one the franchise needs.