3 for 1, the Clippers can trade from the Celtics to Ju Holiday s plan during the offseason

After the Clippers failed to sign Holiday for many years, can the Clippers and the Celtics agree on a potential deal for Ju Holiday?

This offseason, the Boston Celtics seem to be about to usher in major changes. Faced with a series of potential financial hardships brought by the second tax apron, Celtics management may have to cut players’ salaries, especially with Jason Tatum’s injury, the chances of the team fighting for a championship next season are slim. To do this, one of the most likely Celtics players to be traded is Ju Holiday, which may have paved the way for the Los Angeles Clippers to sign him.

The Clippers have no choice but to continue to squeeze Kawhi Leonard's core players for at least a few years. The Oklahoma City Thunder have a draft pick before 2027, after which they will transfer their first-round draft picks in 2028 and 2029 to the Philadelphia 76ers through a deal with James Harden. Holiday may not be the same as before, but he is still a player with a very high winning rate and one of the best defensive players in the league, which will be a good deal for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Rumors about Holiday's possible trade to the Clippers reappearing. The only question is whether they can reach an agreement with the Celtics and whether the Boston Celtics will think Holiday's return is worth it, whether it's a reduction in cap space or an asset that can help them hit the next championship after Tatum returns from injury.

Clippers raise enough salary to acquire Ju Holiday from the Celtics

Clippers deal: Bogdan Bogdanovic, Derek Jones Jr., Chris Dunn

Celtics deal: Ju Holiday's scoring ability has declined in the past few years. Last season, he averaged only 11.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. This seems to be inconsistent with his annual salary of more than $30 million. This could discourage some potential trade suitors, especially when Holiday is old (he will turn 35 before the start of next season).

But everyone in the NBA knows how important Holiday is to a team’s dream of winning. Holiday helped two different championship teams improve their record; he replaced Eric Bledsoe and built the Milwaukee Bucks into a championship-level team, and he was the last piece of the Celtics’ 2024 championship puzzle.

This makes it difficult to evaluate the value of Holiday's transaction. For most teams in the NBA, it is almost impossible to trade him, given his value and age. But the Clippers also have no choice. They are under pressure from time, Leonard and Harden are no longer young, and Holiday will be a great choice to enter the starting lineup with the two aforementioned stars Norman Powell and Ivica Zubac.

If the Clippers can get Holiday with the above trade, the deal may eventually lead to great success. Jones and Dunn always leave gaps in the playoffs, and they have considerable flaws on the offensive end, which makes their performance in the playoffs very dependent on opponents’ matchups. Although Bogdanovic's three-pointer is important, he can only be a substitute in the end. Meanwhile, Holiday was able to use the basket offense to create opportunities for the team, and he had a great performance in key games.

However, the Celtics may not be willing to accept the deal. After all, Bogdanovic, Jones and Dunn have two years left in contract. If they accept the deal, their cap space won't be much relief, as the three will pay nearly as much next season as Holiday.

However, this should make it easier for the Celtics to get rid of their salary. Bogdanovic's salary is only $16 million, and those teams that need a scorer (Detroit Pistons? Orlando Magic? Denver Nuggets?) may find a way to get the Serbian sharpshooter. Jones and Dunn's contract is also very beneficial to the team and is easy to trade if needed.

Dunn may also be the player the Celtics will eventually stay; in this deal, they may lose Holliday's superb perimeter defense, but Dunn's performance on the defensive end should make up for that.

If such a transaction is made, the Clippers will be very worried about the lack of the team's lineup depth. This concern makes sense. This year's playoffs have proven that teams with eight or nine deep players can handle unpredictable injuries better. But to acquire these players, you need to give talent.

Last year, the Clippers were very active in bringing in some young players and athletic players for the team, so they probably wouldn't give up the deal for the veteran Holliday. But it's almost the best choice they can make without losing the team's core players.