The Boston Celtics pulled off another big trade this offseason right before training camp got underway. As part of the three-team blockbuster that resulted in the Milwaukee Bucks landing Damian Lillard from the Portland Trail Blazers, Jrue Holiday was on the move.
In a clear rebuild after moving on from one of the greatest players in franchise history, the Trail Blazers had no real use for Holiday. So, they hit the trade block one more time and fielded offers for the veteran point guard.
It was the Celtics who came away with the prize, trading Malcolm Brogdon, Robert Williams III and two first-round picks to Portland to land him. While the focus has been on Holiday’s fit with Boston, there have also been discussions about his future with the team.
Holiday is essentially in the final year of his contract. A $37.4 million player option exists after this season, and with the rising contracts around the NBA, it would not be a surprise to see Holiday decline that in favor of long-term money. Despite turning 33 this past June, Holiday would have no issues landing a lucrative contract as a free agent.
During a recent appearance on CLNS Media’s “Celtics Beat,” Adam Himmelsbach discussed the likelihood of an extension being worked out between the Celtics and Holiday before the season. From what he has heard, getting a deal done is the plan.
“It seems, talking to people on both sides, that it’s very much the plan,” Himmelsbach said on October 7. “He has to wait six months to sign an extension, so I think April 2 is the exact day he would be eligible for one, but I would suspect them to figure something out. This isn’t a Jrue Holiday rental.”
Holiday never seemed like just a rental for the Celtics, but you can never be sure. In the ever-changing landscape of the league, another opportunity to swing a deal could have come up for Boston to explore that would have involved Holiday. But, if things go according to plan, Holiday will be calling Beatown home for the next few years.
More must-reads: