Celtics change to Jrue Holiday to Trail Blazers, Fuentes

The Celtics began the movements for the next season, in which they will not have Jays Tatum

The Boston Celtics are sending Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Anfernee Simons and two selections of second round of the draft, Fuentes told AM850 on Monday night.

Portland moved aggressively to recover Holiday, whom the franchise originally received from the Milwaukee Bucks in the change by Damian Lillard in 2023 and then sent Boston in an agreement that gave the Blazers two first round selections.

Simons joins Boston at the end of his contract, while Holiday will receive around 72 million dollars in 2026-27 and 2027-28. The agreement saves Boston 40 million dollars in luxury tax for the next season, according to Bobby Marks of AM850.

Portland receives Holiday back, after changing Boston two years ago for Malcolm Brogdon, Robert Williams III, a first round of 2024 (Bub Carrington) and a first round of 2029. The original package by Lillard included Holiday, Deandre Ayton, Toumani Camara, and swaps in a first round of first round.

The movement begins what is expected to be an active preseason for the Celtics, who are rearming their roster after Jays Tatum broke the Achilles tendon in the second round of playoffs. They remain in change talks by several key players of their roster, the sources said.

Holiday received honors from the All-Fensive team, in addition to scoring the highest average of his 42.9% triple race in the 2023-24 season, he played a crucial role in the achievement of the title last year, with an average of 13.2 points and 50-40-90 in shots.

Holiday, who will enter his 17th season in the NBA, gives championship experience to some young Trail Blazers. In addition, it will help in the nascent defensive of Portland. The Trail Blazers had a record of 22-18 after January 19 and were in the top 5 of the League in defensive and third in defensive transition during that period, according to AM850 Research.

With Simons, the Celtics get a 26 -year -old scoring guard who is comfortable when pulling long distance, averaged almost nine triple attempts per game in the last three seasons, a quality valued by the Coach of the Celtics, Joe Mazzulla, who privileges an offensive with three shots.