The Boston Celtics on paper need to make moves this offseason, whether to improve the team, retool for the future, or just shed some cap to make incoming ownership. No matter what approach they decide to take, Brad Stevens's job will be a tough one this offseason.
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One player who seems destined to be traded, or at least be involved in trade discussions, is veteran guard Jrue Holiday. If including a player option, Holiday has three years left on his contract and will make around $35 million on average across the three seasons, so the Celtics would be happy to move him to increase long-term flexibility.
The real question would then become who would be interested in trading for a 35 year old with a contract like Holiday's.
One team that could fit the bill is the young, up-and-coming Orlando Magic. The team could use help in the backcourt to support forwards Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero.
The Magic lost to the Celtics in the first round, and they saw firsthand the kind of impact Holiday can have in the playoffs. While shooting is their biggest priority, doubling-down on defense would also be an enticing thing for the Magic.
In this trade article by Sam Quinn of CBS Sports, he has the Celtics moving Holiday to the Magic for star center Wendell Carter Jr. and Jusuf Nurkic. The trade also involves the Charlotte Hornets.
Along with giving up Holiday, the Celtics also give up the the 28th pick in the first round this year. Overall, the trade package feels fair, and would be an especially interesting trade for the Celtics if they also moved Kristaps Porzings.
Carter Jr. and Nurkic would make for an interesting center rotation to replace Porzingis and the potential loss of Luke Kornet in free agency. Carter Jr. has a skill set similar to Al Horford's, so he can play power forward and center.
Carter Jr. is the main piece of this trade, as his contract is phenomenal. He has two years and a team option, essentially meaning he has three years left on his deal, and is set to make around $20 million each season. At just 27 years old, that is a huge value.
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Nurkic is a solid piece who has one year left on his deal. He at one point was considered a top-tier role-playing center, but he has fallen off a bit. That makes taking a one-year flyer on him an interesting idea.
If Brad Stevens and the Celtics are serious about retooling the roster, this trade makes a lot of sense.
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