The Boston Celtics have one of the most expensive rosters in the NBA. That’s okay when they are able to win the NBA title, as they did last year.
For how much longer that will be acceptable is unclear with a new owner on the horizon. Once the team gets sold, the Celtics might look to cut salary.
As they look to shed salary to avoid a massive luxury tax payment, they could also look to get younger. That means if they don’t repeat as champions this year, this team could look very different next year.
Bleacher Report thinks that they could part ways with their starting point guard in the offseason. Here’s the proposal:
Boston Celtics Receive: F Tobias Harris, G Marcus Sasser, 2025 second-round pick (via Toronto Raptors)
Detroit Pistons Receive: G Jrue Holiday
Sending Jrue Holiday away would be the easiest way to shed salary for them. He is 34 years old and still has two years left on his contract, plus a player option.
Holiday also is having his worst offensive season since his rookie year. If the Celtics are looking to move on from him, this summer might be the chance to do it.
Getting a younger guard in Marcus Sasser would give them a good bench guy to fill in Payton Pritchard’s spot as he moves into the starting lineup.
Tobias Harris would give them another wing to help them, though he would probably turn into a sixth man on this team.
The Celtics would be better served to get a guard who is a little bit more effective than Sasser in return for Holiday. If they can’t getting a center who will actually play in games would be a nice backup plan.
Boston doesn’t have many holes on their roster. They are extremely well put together. That doesn’t mean that they can’t be improved this summer if they decide to shed some salary.
So far this season, Holiday is averaging 10.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. Harris is averaging 13.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game.