The Eastern Conference arms race is on and the Boston Celtics just upped the ante.
The Portland Trail Blazers are sending All-Star Jrue Holiday to the Celtics for Robert Williams III, Malcolm Brogdon, the Golden State Warriors 2024 first-round pick, plus the Celtics 2029 first-round pick unprotected, a story broken by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN and now confirmed by the teams as official.
Boston was high on Holiday’s list of teams he wanted to be traded to, and he is expected to discuss a contract extension with the team. He also fills a need for more physicality and defense at the point of attack for Boston. Holiday averaged 19.4 points and 7.8 assists a game last season, shot 38.4% from 3, and made the All-Defensive team.
For the Celtics, this is a direct response to the Milwaukee Bucks trading for Damian Lillard. This summer the Celtics traded away Marcus Smart (to Memphis) as part of a deal to boost the offense with Kristaps Porzingis at center. However, that left Boston thin at the point and Lillard historically has tortured Porzingis in the pick-and-roll — Milwaukee suddenly looked like a brutal matchup for Boston. Holiday is one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA and can be the defender on Lillard (or trade-off with Derrick White, who is a good defender on the perimeter in his own right). That matchup looks better for Boston today than it did 24 hours ago.
Boston’s starting five could be White, Holiday, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Porzingis (or White could return to a sixth-man role and Al Horford could start at the four). Any way Joe Mazzulla puts together the rotation, that is an elite top six that can hang with anyone. It does put a lot of pressure on Porzingis in the playoffs to perform at a high level (and to just stay healthy) because as Horford ages the Celtics can only lean on him for so much. However you break it down, the Celtics are one of the clear title contenders.
This is a win for the Trail Blazers as well. This is their final haul from the Damian Lillard trade: DeAndre Ayton, Robert Williams III, Malcolm Brogdon, Warriors 2024 first-round pick, Celtics 2029 first-round pick unprotected, Bucks 2029 first-round pick unprotected, two pick swaps with the Bucks (2028 and 2030). That is a serious haul. They also could flip Williams and Brogdon closer to the trade deadline if they want, there will be demand for their services if healthy.
Portland is years away, however, they are rebuilding for the Scoot Henderson era.
Boston is right now and has to be the favorite, or at worst co-favorites, to come out of the East.
