Since the Boston Celtics were shockingly eliminated by the New York Knicks in the playoffs, trade rumors have swirled around the team constantly. With Jayson Tatum rupturing his Achilles, likely forcing him to miss most of the upcoming season, they won’t be in championship contention without him.
Because the Celtics are deep into the second apron, they are forced to move on from some of their core players to save some money and get under the luxury tax. One name that keeps getting mentioned in these trade discussions is Jrue Holiday.
Every day, more and more reports come out of teams interested in Holiday’s services. In the past few days, there have already been reports that the Dallas Mavericks and Sacramento Kings has interest in the two-time All-Star.
Now, a new suitor has emerged interested in acquiring Holiday.
Clippers Join List of Teams Interested in Jrue Holiday Trade
Brian Robb of MassLive reported that the Los Angeles Clippers are another team that are interested in trading for Holiday. Holiday, who’ll be 35 at the start of next season, will be entering the second year of his four-year, $134 million extension he signed last April.
In his Celtics tenure, Holiday averaged 11.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 4.4 assists in 131 games, being named to the Second Team All-Defensive team in 2024 and helping the Celtics win their 18th championship. He was a big factor in their championship team, having countless big moments throughout their playoff run.
However, Holiday’s play regressed this season, having his lowest scoring mark since his rookie season (11.1). Injuries and the emergence of Payton Pritchard have led to the likely conclusion that Holiday’s time with the Celtics is over.
What exactly the Celtics would get in return is uncertain. Kawhi Leonard and Norman Powell are the only untouchables, but anyone outside that is up for grabs. I would assume that Bogdan Bogdanovic and Derrick Jones would be the two likely candidates.
While the Clippers may not have the best package to offer the Celtics, it may be best to do right by Holiday and trade him to his hometown. Holiday is from Los Angeles and played for UCLA for one season.
If Holiday wanted to be traded to the Clippers to go back to his hometown, it could be something to consider, but I believe the Celtics will do whatever is best for them and trade him to whichever team offers them the best package in return.