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The Boston Celtics and San Antonio Spurs are on different trajectories ahead of the 2025-26 season. The Boston Celtics lost their best player due to an achilles injury, as Jayson Tatum is now expected to miss all of next season. Because of that, a fire sale involving a number of Boston's pricier players could be imminent. Jrue Holiday is one such player who could be moved as the Celtics try to get under the second apron.
The San Antonio Spurs, meanwhile, are poised to break out in a big way next season upon Victor Wembanyama's return from a blood clotting issue. They have the assets to make a blockbuster deal, and a trade for Holiday could make sense.
Spurs trade proposal for Jrue Holiday
Spurs receive: Jrue Holiday
Celtics receive: Harrison Barnes, Julian Champagne, Blake Wesley, 2025 first-round pick (via Atlanta)
The Celtics have the most expensive roster in the NBA, and serious roster-building repercussions come with being repeat offenders as a team over the second apron. The 2024 NBA champions are unlikely to compete for the title without Tatum. While a full-blown rebuild doesn't make sense, as the team still has a great core and deep roster, making moves involving aging players on bad contracts, such as Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, is something that Boston needs to consider.
Holiday, in particular, is set to make over $30 million in each of the next three seasons. His play slipped this past season, as he was down to just 11.1 points per game. Even his defense seemingly regressed ever so slightly. Holiday will be well past his prime by the time Tatum returns, and the Celtics have another defensive ace at guard in Derrick White.
A trade to the Spurs would see the Celtics replenish some depth, cut costs, and add much-needed draft capital to a team in need of young talent. In this trade, the Celtics would add Harrison Barnes, Julian Champagne, Blake Wesley, and the last pick in the 2025 NBA Draft lottery.
Barnes is a combo forward, same as Tatum, so he could replace the star's minutes next season in order to try and keep the team afloat. He is also only on a one-year deal, which will help give the Celtics serious cap relief after next season. Champagne is a decent role player on a great contract, and Wesley is a former first-round pick who could use a change of scenery.
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The first-round pick would be the most compelling part of this trade, though. The Celtics haven't selected in the lottery since 2020, and the 2025 NBA Draft class has a lot of talent in it. Ironically, this pick comes in at number 14, which is where the Celtics drafted in both 2020 and 2019. Boston took Aaron Nesmith, and Romeo Langford with those selections, and although Nesmith has thrived with the Indiana Pacers, neither of those draftees worked out in Boston.
Why would the Spurs trade for Jrue Holiday?
The Spurs have the talent to compete now. Fans didn't get to see much of the Wembanyama pairing with De'Aaron Fox before both players were shut down for the season, but that duo has immense potential. Wembanyama is already one of the best players in the NBA. He is a unicorn on offense who will likely win multiple Defensive Player of the Year awards on the other end.
Fox is uber-fast and has the clutch gene. These two player's skill sets complement each other well, but the Spurs have a lot of talent elsewhere on the roster. Stephon Castle won the Rookie of the Year award, Jeremy Sochan does the dirty work, and Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson have become underrated.
The team could use another guard to replace the production that will be lost if Chris Paul walks in free agency or retires, though. Most expect the team to find that with their number two overall pick, as the Spurs are projected to take Dylan Harper from Rutgers. However, the team would have a lot invested in the backcourt with Fox, Castle, and Harper all on the roster, so it is possible the Spurs might go a different direction on draft night.
Ace Bailey is a tall wing with advanced shot-making skills, and Derik Queen is a big man who can play alongside or behind Wembanyama. The Maryland product has a modern offensive skill set, as he can hit jump shots and put the ball on the ground. Either player who fit well in San Antonio, and if the Spurs could pull off this trade for Holiday, they wouldn't have a need for Harper.
Despite showing some signs of regression, Holiday is still one of the best defenders in the NBA. He has the winning experience that could help the Spurs get over the hump. Due to his ability to defend up, he could even play alongside both Fox and Castle. Holiday hounding guards and wings on the perimeter combined with Wembanyama sending shots away at the rim would be a scary thought for opposing teams, and the Spurs could pull off this move without giving up any of their core. The team almost has too many draft picks, and it is unlikely that they'd have the rotation space to develop two rookies, so trading their second first-rounder would be an easy choice if they could land somebody of Holiday's talent.
