Celtics Trade Jrue Holiday to Trail Blazers in Exchange for Anfernee Simons and Draft Picks: What This Means for Both Teams

The Boston Celtics are shaking things up during the offseason. They recently traded veteran point guard Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers. In return, they received young shooting guard Anfernee Simons and a couple of second-round draft picks.

Celtics get:

• Anfernee Simons
• Two future second-round picks

Trail Blazers get:

In a tweet, sports journalist Shams Charania broke the news about the trade, marking a significant move for both teams.

Holiday, now 35, played two seasons with the Celtics. He contributed to their championship win in the 2023-24 season. However, this past season ended in disappointment when Jayson Tatum suffered a serious injury, leading to a second-round playoff exit against New York.

With concerns about the team’s salary structure, many speculated that the Celtics would look to move some high-priced veteran players. There’s chatter that Boston might engage in further trades soon.

Interestingly, Holiday was briefly with the Trail Blazers in a deal involving Damian Lillard before the Celtics acquired him. His defense and team spirit were vital in the Celtics’ previous success.

Anfernee Simons, just 26, has made a name for himself with the Blazers. He averaged over 17 points per game for the last four seasons and has a solid three-point shooting record. He typically hits 38.1% of his three-point attempts, a perfect fit for the Celtics’ offensive style, which emphasizes long-range shooting.

While the Celtics will miss Holiday’s defense and leadership, his scoring was on the decline. With an average of only 11.1 points last season—the lowest in his career—it became clear that a change was needed. The Celtics were also concerned about the $104.4 million remaining on Holiday’s contract over the next three seasons, especially given the hefty salaries of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

This trade is expected to save the Celtics around $40 million in taxes, easing their financial burden while they build for the future.

With this trade, Simons brings youthful energy and scoring potential to the Celtics, who are clearly aiming to stay competitive in the league. As they focus on reshaping their roster, this move reflects a strategic shift toward a more youthful, scoring-oriented team.

For further details, you can check out the latest ESPN coverage on this topic.

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