Things are going to be much different in Boston next season, but it might be for the best.
Last season, the Celtics suffered a horrific fate in the postseason. Despite being the favorites to make the NBA Finals for the third time in four years, they were upset by the New York Knicks in the second round and watched Jayson Tatum tear his Achilles.
Knowing Tatum would be sidelined for the entire upcoming season, the Celtics made some massive decisions, trading away Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis early in the offseason. While the moves were mostly for financial flexibility, there is still a case that Boston made the right move from a basketball perspective as well.
Boston might have moved Holiday at the perfect time
The Celtics’ decision to move Holiday was a somewhat simple one, given the team’s urgency to get under the second apron. However, as Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes recently wrote, the Celtics might have gotten off of Holiday’s deal at the perfect time.
Hughes explained that Holiday is his pick to be Portland’s potential “faller” next season. Expecting the veteran point guard to take a step back, Hughes noted that Holiday’s dip in production last season seems likely to carry over into his first year with the Trail Blazers.
Considering Portland has an abundance of young guards, Holiday could even be used mostly as a mentor after being a starter on championship-caliber teams for the past half-decade. With the Celtics getting Anfernee Simons in return, who they are looking to flip in another deal, Boston might have made the perfect trade at the perfect time.
