Celtics, Trail Blazers Alter Jrue Holiday Trade Over Medical Concerns

The Boston Celtics and Portland Trail Blazers finalized the trade sending Jrue Holiday to Portland and Anfernee Simons to Boston as a straight player swap, removing the two second-round draft picks initially part of the deal due to concerns raised in Holiday's medical evaluations. While Holiday is considered healthy and continuing normal offseason training, the Trail Blazers found enough medical issues to alter the terms, though not enough to cancel the trade. Boston's primary motivation for trading Holiday, who has three years and over $100 million remaining on his contract, was to shed salary and gain roster flexibility, especially after star Jayson Tatum's Achilles injury. Despite Holiday's impressive career accolades and role in Boston's 2024 NBA Championship, his declining recent performance and large contract made him a financial burden for the Celtics. The Blazers view Holiday as a better fit for their defensive identity and a move to bolster their young core, but some analysts question the logic behind Portland giving up a promising young scorer like Simons for an aging veteran. Celtics fans are left accepting a less favorable return, essentially viewing the trade as a salary dump without significant long-term assets gained.