The Boston Celtics are facing a serious crossroads—burdened by an unsustainable payroll and the uncertainty surrounding Jayson Tatum’s torn Achilles, they’ve gone from title contenders to being stuck in a very difficult position.
Enter the Miami Heat, who could not only help their rivals out of a tight spot but also end up with a great complementary piece for All-Star guard Tyler Herro.
As ESPN’s Bobby Marks pointed out, Boston is currently dealing with “$231 million in salary and a $263 million tax penalty.” It’s not surprising, then, that ESPN’s Shams Charania previously noted, “the Celtics will be exploring trade options in the offseason.”
In other words, Boston badly needs to shed salary. If Miami steps in to help them do that, they could significantly upgrade their roster in the process.
Jrue Holiday Looks Like a Smart Trade Target for Both Sides
As Boston evaluates which veterans to move, Jrue Holiday’s name will inevitably surface. He’s the oldest core player still under contract (Al Horford is a free agent), is owed $104.4 million over the next three seasons, and is coming off a relatively underwhelming year.
So why would the Heat be interested? Well, they might see an opportunity.
If Miami believes Holiday still has something left in the tank—especially considering his role may have limited his production in Boston—they could view him as a potential bargain. Yes, his contract is hefty, but that could actually work in Miami’s favor by lowering the Celtics’ asking price—possibly even to the point where Boston has to add an incentive just to unload him.
For Miami, it might be as simple as giving up salary filler in exchange for a player who could fit perfectly alongside Herro.
What does Herro need in a backcourt partner? First, someone who brings strong defense—and Holiday has earned All-Defensive honors in four of the last five years. Next, Herro needs a teammate who can play off the ball to maximize his own on-ball skills. Holiday, a 37% career shooter from three, recently ranked low in usage for Boston, meaning he’s used to contributing without dominating the ball.
Simply put, Holiday fits the exact mold of what Miami needs next to Herro. He might even thrive more with the Heat, who would likely give him a larger offensive role. He’s shown in the past he can handle that, having averaged 18+ points per game five times, including twice after turning 30.
The Heat can’t afford to stand pat this offseason. After finishing with just 37 wins and a first-round sweep, running it back would feel like embracing mediocrity.
Trading for Holiday would at least be a step toward shaking things up. More importantly, it wouldn’t require giving up anything valuable. That’s the kind of low-risk, potentially high-reward move Miami should absolutely explore—because, as it stands, they could “go for it” without really giving anything up to do so.
