In a perfect world, the Boston Celtics wouldn't have to trade anyone. They would be able to take their championship team and run it back a few seasons in a row, creating a new dynasty for Beantown fans to sink their collective teeth into.
Unfortunately, everyone knew the Celtics' window was rapidly closing due to the salary cap and their fight to stay under the second apron. Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Derrick White are all looking at sizable salary increases going into the 2025/26 season, close to $30 million between the three of them.
That would put them well into the second apron for the upcoming season, and looking at some heavy penalties from the NBA for being over that new second apron. As such, trades need to be made.
In the last few days, both Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis were involved in a couple of sizable trades. Holiday is on his way back to the Portland Trail Blazers, and Porzingis is heading to the Atlanta Hawks, a move that will hopefully make Trae Young very happy. Regardless, Holiday was the most likely player to be the first out the door, given the situation the Celtics find themselves in.
The Boston Celtics and their salary problems
The goal of these trades is to get under the second apron for NBA salary cap penalties while still fielding a competitive team. Naturally, the three names the Celtics want to trade the least are Tatum, Brown, and White, though not necessarily in that order. There's an exceedingly convincing argument to be made for trading Brown before White.
These three players represent over $135 million of salary in 2025/26. Keep in mind that the projected salary cap for the upcoming season is $154.6 million. That means 87.6% of the salary cap is used up before the team has even filled their starting five. If you add Holiday and Porzingis in, the starting five is now worth more than $198 million, putting the Celtics way over the first apron.
Going into 2025/26 with the same team plus the salary increases meant ending up $20 million or more over the second apron. Infringing on that would have come with stiff penalties which could have hampered Boston's long term planning greatly. It includes all penalties from the first apron as well as some severe limitation on trades and drafting.
Jrue Holiday leaves the Boston Celtics
To put it bluntly, the Celtics were backed into a corner. Tatum, Brown, and White are the core of their championship team, meaning they are emergency trades only. Given his age and the size of his contract, Jrue Holiday was the logical first choice to make salary cap room, followed by Porzingis. As such, both men will be playing somewhere else next season.
Holiday is 35 and is going into his 17th season. He was a champion with the Bucks in 2021 before joining the Celtics and winning a second ring in 2024. There's no doubt Jrue contributed to those victories greatly. At the same time, his career is winding down and his prime years are behind him. His veteran experience is valuable, but the Celtics have to make hard choices.
Boston's fire sale may not be done, yet, as Brown and/or White may also have to go to right the ship. Whatever happens, it's sad to see Holiday leave. Simply put, the Celtics would not have won the title in 2024 without him. Even more sad is the fact that this current Celtics team is breaking up, meaning that another title run in the near future is unlikely, even if the core three remain intact.