It's silly season, so let's start with Jrue Holiday
š„ The latest from Taylor Talks Celtics
My thoughts on the notion that Boston may need to attach draft picks to move on from Jrue Holiday.
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š° My favorite coverage from around Celtics-verse on May 21
- Charting a path forward for the Celtics, John Karalis.
- What is post-viral syndrome? Explaining the illness that limited Kristaps PorziÅÄ£is in the NBA playoffs, Tess DeMeyer
- Four reasons to embrace the Celtics' upcoming season of uncertainty, Chris Forsberg
- The NBA Draft, in many ways, starts at No. 3, Jake Fischer (SteinLine)
- Boston Celtics face Kristaps Porzingis conundrum after lost year, Souichi Terada
āļø Silly Season is here, letās embrace it
On Monday, I noted that we would spend this week looking back at the season as a whole. Iāve spent the last two days with writerās block. Iāve realized that looking back, and trying to grade a season where the team was rarely healthy, and the year ended in tough-to-swallow fashion, is not where my head is at right now.
Iām sure that as we hit the dead of summer, there will be plenty of time for āplayer gradesā and ātop momentsā pieces. Theyāre always fun to write. Yet, right now, the media wheels are turning, and with them, rumors are flying out of the gate.
Iām trying to enjoy the moment. Itās been a couple of years since the Celticsā name was floated around this early in silly season. Some of the discussions have made sense. Itās logical that Boston would want to duck the second apron, especially as theyāre unlikely to be a contending team next season. However, some of the topics being talked about are mind-blowingly wild ā and theyāre fun for a whole different set of reasons.
So, I thought it would be an enjoyable exercise to rank some of the rumors/trade ideas/discussion points over the coming days.
That way, we can get deep into each talking point or rumor.
First up, the Texas connection...
Not so much of a report, but likely more of an educated guess. Still, this comes from Kurt Helin of NBC Sports. He notes how the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets could be among the āteams to watchā for Jrue Holiday, assuming heās made available for a trade.
āWith Boston likely trimming payroll this summer, look for a lot of interest from playoff teams in Jrue Holiday, an elite defensive guard who has helped the Bucks and Celtics win rings. The Rockets and Spurs might be teams to watch,ā Helin reported.
š£ļø Adding Holiday feels like something the Rockets would explore. Ime Udoka is a defense-first type of coach. He would likely adore the physicality, versatility and production Holiday could provide to his rotation. Houston has the assets and the reasoning to pursue a potential deal. I think theyāre a logical candidate to at least kick the tires on what a trade for Holiday would look like.
San Antonio feels a little less likely to me. Yes, theyāre rapidly improving. And yes, they have all the pieces they could need for a trade. Yet, theyāre probably another year or two away from being taken legitimately serious. Holiday is a win-now type of pick-up. Iām not saying they wonāt show interest, or a move isnāt possible, Iām just not sure it fits the current timeline.
Some other teams I would expect to gauge Brad Stevensā willingness to negotiate are the following:
Miami Heat
Holiday feels like an Erik Spoelstra guy for the same reason he feels like someone Udoka would covet. The only issue here is that Miami is short on tradable assets (that would make sense for the Celtics), and theyāre multiple moves away from being among the contenders, even in a weakened Eastern Conference.
Iāve seen a few ideas that would send Terry Rozier and his expiring contract back to Boston. I get it. But I would respectfully decline an offer built around Rozier. There should be better packages out there. Stevens will know that, though.
Still, Miami is on the hunt for upgrades, and Holiday represents a solid improvement at a genuine area of need for the franchise. Riley also isnāt against adding aging talent, as he noted in a recent news conference.
āI think an aging great player, who may not be able to carry a team together, can rise to the occasion in the playoffs,ā Riley said. āā¦I still think that an aging player can play. Look at LeBron [James]. I mean, look at these players. Itās incredible. Players like LeBron and others who have played into their mid to late 30s and produced at a high level can help teams win championships. You have to pick out the right one, but Iām not against that, no.ā
I donāt have the Heat near the top of my āthreats to acquire Holidayā list, but Iām not ruling them out, either.
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LA Clippers
Ty Lue is another defensive mastermind. The Clippers feel like the logical landing spot for Holiday from a theoretical standpoint. Theyāve been trying to win a championship for years now, but have consistently fallen short. Theyāre likely one piece away from taking the jump they need.
Enter Holiday. You know, the guy who was the missing piece on not one, but two different championship runs?
Iām not sure what a potential deal could look like, or if the Clippers could even piece one together. Nevertheless, a backcourt pairing of James Harden and Holiday, with Kawhi Leonard locking down the wing, would be a fearsome trio.
Steve Ballmer wonāt be afraid of any potential tax implications or the associated costs either. He could lose $30 million down the back of his sofa and never notice itās missing.
Iāve honestly got the Clippers as a dark horse to sneak in and strike a deal for Holiday.
Golden State Warriors
I believe that the Warriors' biggest issue is their lack of genuine size in the middle of the floor. However, Mike Dunleavy Jr. has appeared quite happy to ignore that gaping hole over the last few years, so suggesting that they pursue a guard like Holiday doesnāt feel too far-fetched.
Still, Holiday is the type of do-it-all talent the Warriors need. Iām not sure how they could add his salary to a cap sheet that already includes Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler. However, itās clear Golden State is still one or two pieces away from where it wants to be, and Holiday would help bridge that gap.
Cleveland Cavaliers
The last one on my list. Darius Garlandās postseason struggles are becoming well-documented. His lack of physicality and defensive upside make him a risky partner for Donovan Mitchell once the playoffs roll around. Finding a way to swap out Garland for Holiday could be the move Cleveland needs to finally become a genuine contender of the first time since LeBron James swapped Cleveland for Hollywood.
āHe (Garland) needs to get stronger so he can compete at the highest level,ā Koby Altman said during a recent news conference. āItās the same thing that [happened] with Stephen Curry. ā¦ Now, Steph is all-world. Iām not making that comparison. But Steph got stronger ā¦ over his years. Heās a different physical specimen than he was when he first started playing.ā
Holiday has the IQ and processing speed to fit into Kenny Atkinsonās system. However, Iām not sure if his motor is up to the task of consistently meeting Cleveland's tempo and pace.
š£ļø Holiday isnāt my preferred trade candidate
Holiday will turn 35 next season. He has three years left on his $134 million contract. I completely understand why his name is among the frontrunners to be removed from the Celtics roster.
However, I still think there are other moves to be made first. Kristaps Porzingis is by far the most tradeable guy under contract, in terms of the one you want to move on from. His inability to stay healthy and his Houdini act in two consecutive postseasons should be enough to convince Brad Stevens to cut bait.
Still, Holiday will hold value around the league. Heās a serial winner and could potentially embark on another championship run before his career comes to an end. And while I doubt that happens with Boston, I wouldnāt want to rush into moving him, at least not for pennies on the dollar.
š£ļø But I get it
What makes it more difficult is that Holiday wants to stick around.
āI think we still have a really, really great opportunity and a great window to be successful and win a championship again,ā Holiday said. āI think the talent that we have on this team, not only on the court, but the coaching staff, all the way up to Brad [Stevens], has been amazing. So, yeah, the opportunity to win is now, and I still want to be a part of that.ā
The problem is, outside of the final year in his current deal, Holidayās trade market will likely never be as good. Maximizing your return has to be part of the decision making ā as does ducking under the second luxury tax apron and accumulating some assets.
While it sucks to know that the current rotation will look different come October, itās a tough fact that has been thrust upon us following Tatumās gnarly injury. Hopefully, Holiday heads out West for a healthy trade return.
Where would you send him and whatās the minimum you would want back?
