NBA Execs Think Celtics Would Have to Attach 'Incentive' In Any Jrue Holiday Trade

Some NBA executives reportedly believe the Boston Celtics will have to add a sweetener if they want to trade veteran guard Jrue Holiday during the offseason.

According to NBA insider Jake Fischer of the Stein Line Substack, multiple rival execs said the Celtics may have to attach an incentive such as draft pick compensation to Holiday in order to get a team to take him in a trade.

While Holiday is a valuable player with plenty of championship experience, he still has at least two years and over $67 million left on his contract.

Holiday also has a $37.2 million player option in his contract for the 2027-28 season, which he may very well exercise since he will be 37 years old by that time.

Fischer noted that there has been speculation swirling regarding the possibility of the Celtics trading Holiday in order to better position the franchise's position when it comes to the luxury tax.

The Celtics were over the second apron this season, which restricted what they could do in terms of trades and contracts.

Trading Holiday could help them get under the apron, but there is no guarantee they will find a willing trade partner.

Jay King of The Athletic did report last week that "several contending teams" would likely have interest in Holiday if the Celtics explore trading him, but it remains to be seen if Boston would be willing to make that move should they have to surrender draft picks as well.

Holiday, who will turn 35 next month, is a two-time All-Star, two-time NBA champion and six-time NBA All-Defensive Team selection over the course of his 16-year career.

Following a three-year run with the Milwaukee Bucks that saw Holiday earn one All-Star berth, win one championship and average 18.5 points, 6.8 assists, 4.7 assists and 1.5 steals per game, he was acquired by the Celtics in a trade.

Holiday's stats dipped with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and others ahead of him in the offensive pecking order, but he was still a big reason why Boston won a championship last season.

This season, Holiday averaged 11.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.1 steals per game for a Celtics team that was the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.

The Celtics were shocked by the New York Knicks in the second round of the playoffs, though, leaving them to contemplate whether they should make any major changes to their roster.

Keeping Holiday makes sense if they want to run it back, but with Tatum's status for next season in question after suffering a torn Achilles against the Knicks, there may be at least some validity to the idea of selling off veterans such as Holiday.