Celtics extend Holiday’s deal by four years
Guard gets $135 million, will help team save in ’24-25
Point guard Jrue Holiday has agreed on a four-year, $135 million contract extension with the Celtics, according to a league source. The source said the final year of the deal is a player option.
Holiday had a $37.4 million player option for next season that will now be declined and replaced by a $30 million salary. Including luxury tax penalties, this alteration will save the Celtics nearly $35 million for 202425.
Last fall, the Bucks traded Holiday to the Trail Blazers in the deal that brought superstar Damian Lillard to Milwaukee. But by doing so, they also cleared a path for the Celtics to put together a roster that is in the midst of one of the best regular seasons in franchise history.
The Celtics (62-17) acquired Holiday, 33, from Portland in exchange for center Robert Williams, guard Malcolm Brogdon, and two future first-round picks. Holiday was not eligible to sign his extension until April 1, so the sides clearly worked swiftly to complete this deal before the playoffs begin in 10 days.
This season, Holiday has embraced a reduced role as an offensive player while fitting seamlessly into a starting lineup that vaulted the Celtics to the top of the NBA. He is averaging 12.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.9 assists while shooting a career-best 43.1 percent from the 3-point line, despite taking just 10 shots per game, the fewest since his rookie season in 2009-10.
Holiday, a five-time All-Defensive Team selection, has also been an anchor at that end of the floor, guarding everyone from 76ers center Joel Embiid to Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo while also serving as the quarterback when the Celtics run a 2-1-2 zone defense.
All of the top rotation players are now signed through the 2025-26 season, putting the Celtics in position for a sustained run at the top. Guard Derrick White
and the Celtics were unable to agree on an extension last fall, but the sides will have another opportunity this offseason.
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The Celtics will attempt to win a championship Thursday night, and they’ll be watching closely in Boston.
The Maine Celtics hold a 1-0 lead over the Oklahoma City Blue in the best-of-three NBA G League Finals and have a chance to claim the title in Game 2.
Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens, president Rich Gotham, and assistant general manager Mike Zarren were among the executives in attendance for Maine’s 106-86 Game 1 romp in Portland on Tuesday. The franchise will be represented in Oklahoma, too.
“It’s really hard to win consistently in the G League with all the player movement,” Zarren said, “and it’s particularly fun when it comes together the way it has this year.”
Stevens and Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla often speak about alignment within the organization, and that stretches from the top of the team’s front office to the end of the bench in Maine.
The Celtics took full ownership of the G League affiliate in 2019, and the connection between the two franchises has only strengthened. After the Celtics’ win over the Trail Blazers on Sunday, both televisions in the team’s locker room showed Maine’s 99-77 conference finals win over the Long Island Nets.
Celtics forward Sam Hauser started his career in Maine, agreeing to a two-way deal with Boston in 2021. Center Luke Kornet signed with Maine as an affiliate player in 2021 before eventually advancing to Boston. Both can often be seen sporting Maine Celtics gear.
“I think when you feel connected to the organization, it’s easier to hold yourself to that same standard, and in the G League that’s something that can be difficult,” Kornet said. “But I feel like the coaches that they’ve had there and the plans they’ve had for developing guys, and now being able to see guys like Sam and I guess myself being able to make a difference with the Boston team makes a difference.
“We do all feel very connected to the staff there. I feel like also the communication between the coaching staffs and the players, it’s great to have everybody around the same building. They’re just as much a part of the organization as us here.”
There are Celtics connections throughout Maine’s roster. Rookie forward Jordan Walsh, who is part of Boston’s 15-man roster, averaged 14.4 points and 5.6 rebounds in 16 regular-season games for Maine. Center Neemias Queta was on a twoway deal with Boston before having it converted to a standard NBA contract Monday. Point guard JD Davison, a secondround pick in 2022, is on a twoway contract with the Celtics. Two-way contract player Drew Peterson signed as a free agent in December.
All four have appeared in Celtics games this season and will be back with the team once the G League Finals conclude.
“The guys down there are empowered, knowing they’re going to play a lot more minutes and have a lot more responsibility, but also knowing what you’re getting better at that’s really going to translate to NBA games,” Kornet said. “I think you can kind of start feeling and seeing that for yourself. When you’re down there playing, you’re happy to be playing and getting the experience, but then you also can see the results individually.”
The Boston Celtics will face the Knicks on Thursday, but Kornet said they’ll be keeping an eye on Maine’s result, too. The Celtics will not play a game next week as they await the results of the NBA play-in tournament, so if the G League Finals are extended to a third game in Maine on Monday, there would be a large Boston contingent in attendance.
“It’s a lot of fun,” Kornet said. “I feel like it gives everybody something to root for, especially when the games are going on when we’re all together. Everybody’s eager to cheer them on and watch the game and are pretty locked in and wanting them to win. I think we know how talented and how much ability JD and Jordan and Neemy and Drew and everybody have. It’s just like we’re all part of the same family.”
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The Celtics’ massive lead in the Eastern Conference standings has made it easier for them to prioritize rest while also doing some experimenting down the stretch. Both happened during Tuesday’s loss to the Bucks.
With big men Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford sitting out, Mazzulla got a longer look at a small-ball lineup that featured Jayson Tatum at center. The unit was initially deployed when Hauser checked in for starting center Xavier Tillman with 7:10 left in the third quarter. The Celtics trailed, 69-50, at the time and closed the quarter with a 17-9 run.
“If I’m the tallest guy out there, we got five guys who really can take you off the dribble, push the tempo, shoot, create for others. So guarding us is going to be tough,” Tatum said. “And obviously, we can switch everything. We just got to gang rebound, obviously, when we’re that small out there. But it’s something, that faster lineup we can go to.”
Mazzulla briefly turned to the small-ball group again midway through the fourth quarter, after the Bucks had stretched their lead back to 16 points. Less than two minutes later, with the game all but out of reach, he decided his starters were done for the night. But he said there were some intriguing moments from the groups that lacked a traditional center.
“I liked the ability for us to switch a little bit,” Mazzulla said. “I liked the spacing that we were able to get. Their reads were a little bit clearer because we had five on the perimeter and they were doubling Jayson every time and the two-on-ones were right there. It was just to give the game something different.”