The Dallas Mavericks are expected to pursue veteran Celtics guard Jrue Holiday this offseason as they look to stay in contention following Kyrie Irving’s ACL injury.
Dallas Mavericks are exploring their options at guard following a season-altering injury to Kyrie Irving.
Free throws this season
Boston Celtics
NBA
With the franchise in win-now mode, The Athletic’s Christian Clark and Jay King have linked Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday as a potential trade target for Dallas.
“It’s no secret the Celtics hope to cut salary this offseason,” King explained. “Because they would need to shed about $20-25 million of salary just to get under the second apron, never mind the luxury tax, it seems inevitable they will trade at least one starter this summer. Moving Holiday could make a lot of sense for them financially.”
For Dallas, adding a veteran ballhandler who can defend at a high level fits both their short-term needs and GM Nico Harrison’s long-standing emphasis on defensive-minded players.
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“The Mavericks’ expectations this season are championship or bust,” Clark said. “By trading Luka Doncic only eight months after he led Dallas to the NBA Finals, general manager Nico Harrison signaled that anything less than winning it all was a failure.
“Dallas needs someone who can pick up the ball-handling slack while Irving is out and still make sense alongside Irving once he returns,” he added.
Holiday, 35, is under contract for three more seasons at roughly $103 million and is coming off a year in which he averaged 11.1 points and 3.9 assists while helping Boston secure the NBA title.
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