Holiday's future in Boston is uncertain.
Written by Gio Rivera
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6 hours ago
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3 minute read
Jrue Holiday's debut season with the Boston Celtics was smooth sailing, but the 33-year-old will need to find a compromise with the front office if he is to remain with the team for years to come.
Holiday's looming contract dilemma is still unresolved, as Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis and Peyton Pritchard all signed extensions ahead of the regular season. The Celtics traded Robert Williams III and Malcolm Brogdon to acquire Holiday from the Portland Trail Blazers, giving the three-time NBA Player of the Year teammate another chance to contribute to a title contender. -Holiday has earned it.
Still, the question remains: what's next for Holiday and the Celtics?
“I think we'll have to see how things go in the playoffs,” an anonymous Eastern Conference executive told Heavy.com's Sean Deveney. “That's dangerous because if they get to the finals and win easily, you're going to be under pressure to give him a big contract. But at the same time, you're now giving Jrue Holiday a big deal and they We lost badly in the playoffs, lost in the second round, so where are you?”
Holiday is neither the No. 1 nor No. 2 scorer for Boston. But… considering the holidays… of He served as defensive captain for the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2021 NBA Finals, taking on that responsibility alongside Derrick White of the Celtics, so expectations remain high. That doesn't change.
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Previous reports indicate mutual interest between Holiday and the Celtics, but the deal could be complicated. Holiday's eligibility gives him the chance to earn a $51 million annual salary, but of course it could derail the current Celtics president of basketball operations position that Brad Stevens was trying to create in the offseason. There is. Holiday will be entering his age-34 season in 2024-25, so such frustration doesn't make sense for Boston, or any team in the league.
“I think he wants $100 million. You have to pay for what you get,” the executive continued, according to Deveny. “He gives us the leadership, the defense, all the little things that lead us to wins. The tax bill is going to hurt. But it might all come down to that.”
Holiday has been at the forefront of reestablishing Boston's defensive identity and providing a stabilizing approach to the offense that has helped limit costly mistakes. He averaged 12.6 points on just 10 shots per game, led all East point guards with 5.5 rebounds and shot 48.1 percent from the field. When it comes to shooting corner 3s, Holiday also. the bestleading the NBA in draining over 60% from the left and right corners.
The biggest concern for everyone in Boston's locker room is finding Banner 18. That's evident in the team's league-leading 62 wins, long-running No. 1 seed (since Nov. 14), and overall mindset that encourages sacrifice.
Holiday has a $37.3 million player option remaining, which the Celtics could potentially settle with a multi-year extension.
