The Trail Blazers paid two round picks for Holiday, for what purpose? The Rockets may have a chance to speculate

The Suns sent Kevin Durant, and exchanged Jaylen Green from the Rockets for Jaylen Green, Dillon Brooks, the 10th pick in the first round in 2025, and the next five second round draft picks.

At this point, Durant officially joined the Rockets, which will help the Houston Rockets take off in the new season. The big deal between the Suns and the Rockets about Durant is also the second major deal this offseason. Before that, the Magic and the Grizzlies had completed a deal between the defender Bain.

These are just the beginning of a series of trades this year's offseason. At noon on the 24th, another heavyweight transaction arrived unexpectedly. According to famous reporter Shams, the Celtics traded Zhu Holiday to the Trail Blazers for Anthony Simmons + 2 second round picks.

Shams said the Trail Blazers are actively buying back Holiday. Holiday came from the Bucks to the Trail Blazers through Lillard trade in 2023, and later transferred to the Celtics through trade. The Trail Blazers won two first-round draft picks through trade, while Holiday won the championship with the Celtics in 2024.

At the same time, Anfini Simmons joined the Celtics as an expiring contract.

Shams said the Celtics were extremely active in the offseason and they had just traded away Ju Holiday, who played a key role in the Celtics' 2024 NBA championship battle. According to sources, the Celtics are still negotiating deals for several core players. The Celtics sent Holiday away, marking that they will officially start to break up last season's championship lineup.

This season, as the defending champion, the Celtics were eliminated early in the playoffs, and core star Tatum suffered a major injury from a ruptured Achilles tendon, and may recover from most of the new season.

In this case, the Celtics also pay high luxury taxes. Therefore, they were forced to break up this winning team.

However, what fans don't understand is that the Celtics want to send Holiday away, which is something the whole league knows, just like the Suns are eager to send Durant away and reduce taxes. Under such circumstances, the Trail Blazers still act as a great charity. Not only did he accept Holiday's contract, he also gave the team's guard Simmons, who had been trained for many years, and also paid two draft picks.

What is this operation? What is the Trail Blazers’ picture?

In my opinion, the purpose of the Trail Blazers' move can only be understood as they want veterans like Holiday to serve as mentors for young people in the team. Holiday has rich experience in winning the championship and has already held two championship rings. He can teach young players like Henderson and Sharp some experience.

Apart from that, I can't understand why the Trail Blazers have to pay the draft pick and take Holiday's contract. Anyone with a discerning eye can see that Holiday is already in a cliff-like state of decline.

Of course, it is also possible that the Trail Blazers make such a deal just to send Simmons away.

Because the Trail Blazers are currently in the reconstruction stage, Simmons obviously does not have the potential to become the team's future core. Send him away just to make room for young people like Henderson.

If this is the case, the Trail Blazers will definitely not stay with Holiday for a long time and may buy out his remaining contract. In that case, a championship team like the Rockets that lack guards may wait for an opportunity to try to make a profit.

If the Trail Blazers buy out Holiday's contract. The Rockets are likely to use Durant's appeal to try to sign Holiday. At the same time, the Celtics intend to deal with other main players, and the Rockets may join the ranks of competing for White.

In short, the curtain has just opened in the trading market this year, and everything is getting more exciting.