Brad Stevens struck late Monday night with his latest trade. News broke around 11:30 p.m. EDT that the Boston Celtics were trading Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers for Anfernee Simons and two second-round picks. The move came as a surprise, due to the late-night timing, of course, but also because of the lack of smoke surrounding the Blazers as a potential suitor for Holiday.
Holiday’s departure felt like a given for the past month, as the Celtics have an obvious goal of cutting costs to avoid the NBA’s second-apron line. During that span, teams like the Dallas Mavericks and LA Clippers had been floated as possible trade destinations, but not Portland.
Ironically, the move will only save Boston $4.9 million in salary cap space next season, meaning they still need to cut another $18 million if they’re going to dive below the second-apron threshold.
Kristaps Porzingis might be the next player to be traded by the Celtics... just not to the Lakers
Since the Holiday deal was reported, there’s been plenty of speculation about the futures of both Kristaps Porzingis and Sam Hauser -- two more players who have been considered trade candidates for the past month.
Porzingis' contract is the heftier of the two, so moving him could do a lot of legwork towards the team’s ultimate goal. Considering that his contract is expiring, there are likely teams that are at least thinking of taking a chance on the Latvian big man, even after a lingering illness held him back in the playoffs.
One destination that seems like it’s off the table is Crypto.com Arena. According to The Athletic’s Dan Woike, the Los Angeles Lakers aren’t interested in reuniting Porzingis with Luka Doncic, who he played alongside in Dallas for two and a half seasons.
“One thing that won’t happen — another Doncic-Kristaps Porziņgis pairing,” Woike wrote. “There’s no indication that anyone wants to see that sequel.”
Although the Lakers are in dire need of a starting-caliber center, Porzingis doesn't sound like an option for them due to his history with Doncic.
The Mavericks never quite met their potential with the pair of European stars leading the way. Porzingis alluded to an unspoken rivalry between them during a 2023 appearance on “The Old Man and the Three.”
“Early on, for sure,” said Porzingis of the tensions between him and Doncic. “But I think we both tried to make it work. It’s just, I think, communication and maturity on both our parts should have been better.”
The duo’s time together came to an end in 2022 when Dallas traded Porzingis to the Washington Wizards.
By what KP had to say to then-host, now Lakers Head Coach JJ Reddick, the two have moved past their differences and have no lingering beef.
It’s just that the lack of beef doesn’t mean they’re itching to play together again anytime soon.