Guard Jrue Holiday has agreed to stay with the Boston Celtics indefinitely, just in time for a crucial postseason. Jason Glushon, Holiday’s agent, revealed on Wednesday that the team had agreed to a four-year, $135 million contract. Holiday is a two-time All-Star.
“Jrue Holiday does exactly what he did three years ago in Milwaukee,” Adrian Wojnarowski told NBA Countdown. “Stays put for a long as they adjust to their new habitat. He won a title, a gold medal, and a four-year contract worth $135 million with the Milwaukee Bucks. He plans to repeat the feat in Boston this year.Holiday had the opportunity to be a top free agent this summer, but he agreed to a four-year contract, thus he is no longer considered. There is now no better choice for either party, but the contract will very definitely remain in effect throughout Holiday’s prime.
Jrue has appeared in 68 games this season, putting up outstanding numbers while opposing the league’s best perimeter defense: 12.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game. Meanwhile, the Celtics have a 62-17 record this season and are unbeatable in the Eastern Conference. They have only had three home losses this season and presently lead the Conference by fourteen games.
Boston is the greatest place for Holiday to end his career on a high note, and he’ll get the opportunity to do so alongside teammates Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Kristaps Porzingis. Obviously, the most essential thing is to sustain our present level of performance as the best team in the NBA.
The Bucks suffer a major setback.The Bucks shouldn’t feel awful about trading Damian Lillard just yet, but Jrue Holiday’s outstanding play with the Celtics makes you wonder if trading him was a wise decision in the first place.
When Jrue and Giannis were on the court, Milwaukee was unbeatable and consistently ranked as one of the league’s best defensive teams. Everyone was surprised by the July agreement between the Bucks and Holiday, even Holiday himself, who later criticized the trade’s execution.
Despite being selected for his superstar potential, Lillard has been average offensively and far worse in every other category. The Bucks’ backcourt is especially exposed due to his lack of defensive resistance.
The Bucks are on the verge of failing to reach 50 victories this season (they are 48-31) and are losing games at an alarming clip because they can’t seem to stop anyone.
In the midst of it all, there is a lot of doubt around Doc Rivers and Khris Middleton, with Giannis’ ιnjury potentially being the final straw.
If the Celtics win the NBA Finals this summer, no team, including the Bucks, will find it simple to justify trading Holiday. However, given his departure and apparent lack of desire to return, the Bucks must now adjust and cross their fingers. We can presume that Jrue was pleased with how things turned out last summer.