Boston Celtics
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The Boston Celtics were expected to make significant changes to their roster this summer, long before All-NBA forward Jayson Tatum suffered an Achilles injury. With the perennial MVP candidate out for next season, trading one of Derrick White or Jrue Holiday is all but guaranteed.
NBA insider Marc Stein writes that the Celtics’ front office has a real preference this summer to trade Holiday instead of White. However, that could prove more complicated due to how both players are valued by buyers around the league.
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Holiday, who turns 35 years old in June, didn’t make the NBA All-Star team this past season and he placed on the NBA All-Defensive Second Team a season after earning his third NBA All-Defensive Team honor a year ago. The 6-foot-4 guard is under contract through the next three seasons, with a $32.4 million salary (2025-’26) and a $34.8 million salary (2026-’27) with a $37.2 million player option in 2027 when he’ll be 38 years old.
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White, who turns 31 in July, made the NBA All-Defensive Team just made the All-NBA Second Team for the second consecutive season. The 6-foot-4 guard also scored a career-best 16.4 points per game, making 3.5 three-pointers per game and shooting 38.4 percent from the perimeter. He is entering the first year of a four-year, $118.048 million deal that has a $34.844 million player option in 2028.
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If the Celtics are willing to attach a draft pick to Holiday, then they should be able to deliver on their offseason priority of retaining White and shedding payroll. Otherwise, Boston will likely have to retain the older guard and receive a stronger return by trading White.