Celtics Make Bold Move: Holiday Traded for Simons and Picks

The Celtics have made a significant change to their team. They traded guard Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers. In return, they got guard Anfernee Simons and two future second-round picks. This trade shows the Celtics are serious about reshaping their roster. Holiday, who is 35 years old, has three years left on his contract. He was a key player for the Celtics last season. He helped them win the NBA championship. He played well in the playoffs, especially against Indiana. But this season, his performance dropped. Injuries kept him out of 20 regular-season games and three playoff games. Despite his struggles, Holiday was loved by his teammates. They praised his skills and his ability to make winning plays. Even after the season, Holiday said he wanted to stay with the Celtics. He believed they still had a good chance to win another championship. The Celtics needed to cut salary to avoid big financial penalties. They got a good deal by trading Holiday. Simons is younger and has been a strong scorer for the Blazers. He averages 20. 7 points and 4. 7 assists per game. He is also a good three-point shooter, which fits the Celtics' playing style. However, Simons is not as good defensively as Holiday. Opponents shot better against him than against any other Celtic player. This trade might hurt the Celtics' defense. But it gives them more money to spend in the future. The Celtics still have work to do. They are above the NBA's luxury tax limit. They might trade more players to fix this. Center Kristaps Porzingis and reserve shooter Sam Hauser could be traded. The Celtics want to keep Jaylen Brown and Derrick White, but nothing is certain. This trade is just the start of the Celtics' offseason moves. They have the 28th and 32nd picks in the upcoming NBA Draft. They will need to make more changes to build a strong team for next season.