Over the past few weeks, there's been a ton of buzz about Kristaps Porzingis' and Jrue Holiday's futures with the Boston Celtics. The pair is set to make a combined $63.1 million in the 2025 -26 season. Meanwhile, the obvious goal for the Celtics this summer is to cut costs by roughly $20 million to get below the NBA's second-apron line.
Teams who spend above the $207.8 million threshold face [several penalties](https://hardwoodhoudini.com/boston-celtics-desperately-need-avoid-second-apron-cba-explanation-penalties-taxes-more) that mostly affect the ways they're able to bring in new talent. Signing exceptions disappear, trades become more difficult, and the luxury tax gets multiplied.
Plus, if you're a team like the Celtics, who have been above the second apron in both of the last two seasons, then you risk future draft picks automatically falling to the end of the first round if you overspend again.
Cost-cutting trades involving Porzingis and Holiday may be the easiest way for the Cs to avoid that risk without parting with Jaylen Brown or Jayson Tatum (whom they cannot trade this summer anyway).
[Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25200251-3-team-trade-idea-would-save-celtics-230-million-cover-mavs-kyrie-injury) recently proposed this three-team deal that would offload both players in a single move:
**Dallas Mavericks receive:**
* Jrue Holiday (from Celtics)
* $3 million trade exception (Olivier-Maxence Prosper)
**Boston Celtics receive:**
* Daniel Gafford (from Mavericks)
* PJ Washington (from Mavericks)
* Drew Timme (from Nets)
* $32.4 million trade exception (Holiday)
* $2.5 million trade exception (Xavier Tillman Sr.)
* $2.4 million trade exception (Neemias Queta)
* $2.2 million trade exception (Porziņģis)
**Brooklyn Nets receive:**
* Kristaps Porziņģis (from Celtics)
* Dwight Powell (from Mavericks)
* Olivier-Maxence Prosper (from Mavericks)
* Xavier Tillman Sr. (from Celtics)
* Neemias Queta (from Celtics)
* 2026 protected first-round pick (from Celtics)
* 2027 first-round pick swap (from Celtics)
**Does this trade make sense for the Celtics?**
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Uh, kind of, but there are probably better ways to get off of the Porzingis and Holiday contracts.
If Boston is solely focused on saving money in the short-term, then this gets the job done. This move would clear $37.6 million in cap space and put the Celtics firmly below the second apron, with room to re-sign unrestricted free agents like Al Horford, Luke Kornet, and Torrey Craig.
The return isn't that bad either. Both Gafford and Washington are proven role players who have contributed to winning in the past (see 2024 playoffs). They're also both 26 years old and will be free agents next summer, which is bittersweet. On one hand, if things don't work out in Boston, then the Celtics aren't stuck paying them for years. On the other hand, if things DO work out, then there's a real possibility that the price to retain one or both of these guys is pretty steep.
If the Cs elected to pay said price, then they could find themselves in a similar financial bind somewhere down the line.
The real drawback of this deal (aside from the loss of two major rotation pieces) is giving up multiple first-round picks. This collective bargaining agreement and all of its aprons aren't going anywhere anytime soon. One of the best ways to field a competitive roster without breaking the bank is by drafting well. Just look at the Oklahoma City Thunder, who just won 68 games without paying the luxury tax. They drafted the majority of their supporting cast, and it turned out great for them. Granted, they aren't paying each of their two stars supermax contracts, but the point still stands.
By relinquishing a pair of picks, the Celtics would risk becoming even more reliant on the checkbook and painting themselves into a corner again in the future.
This deal would be far more appetizing if there was a way to do it without coughing up draft capital.