The Boston Celtics are expected to be quite busy this offseason, and virtually everyone on the team has seen their name pop up in trade rumors since their playoff run came to an end.
Of that group, one guy who seems more likely to get traded than others is Jrue Holiday.
While he has played a vital role in Boston’s success over the past two seasons, Holiday is viewed as a prime trade candidate for several reasons. For starters, he’s set to turn 35-years old on June 12, and his $34.8 million salary is simply too expensive for a Celtics team that is trying to get under the second apron of the salary cap.
Given that, and the emergence of Payton Pritchard off the bench, it’s not a surprise to see the C’s are fielding trade calls for Holiday, but what are they looking for in return. According to NBA insider Matt Moore, Boston wants at least a first-round pick in exchange for the two-time All-Star.
“Hall of Famer Marc Stein reported this weekend that Boston is in fact listening to trade offers for Holiday, something most people assumed,” Moore wrote on his “Hardwood Paroxysm” blog.
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“While the focus has been on reducing payroll, sources have told the Paroxysm that Boston is setting the price at a first-round pick along with whatever reduced salary comes back in the deal.”
Holiday’s age and salary are certainly going to throw some teams off, as is his production, which took another drop this season (11.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game on 44.3% shooting).
However, he remains one of the best perimeter defenders in the league, and his aforementioned production drop is likely due in large part to playing on a loaded Celtics team. Holiday’s defense and three-point shooting will make him a valuable commodity on the trade market this offseason.
Whether or not Boston gets their desired return for Holiday remains to be seen, but you can bet Brad Stevens will be working the phones in an effort to clear cap space and maximize the value of his outgoing players. If he can get a first-round pick for Holiday, it would certainly be a job well done.
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