Latest news with #Celtics
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Celtics trade Jrue Holiday to Portland. Who will they get in return?
The Portland Trail Blazers are reacquiring two-time All-Star guard Jrue Holiday from the Celtics, sending guard Anfernee Simons and two future second-round draft picks to Boston in return, ESPN reported on Monday night. Holiday, 35, who will earn $32.4 million next season, is owed a total of approximately $72 million in 2026-27 and 2027-28, after which his four-year, $134.4 million contract that he signed with the Celtics in April 2024 expires. Advertisement Meanwhile, the 26-year-old Simons joins the Celtics on an expiring contract. Per ESPN, the deal saves Boston $40 million in luxury tax payments next season. Mar 24, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday (4) dribbles the ball against the Sacramento Kings in the first quarter at the Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson/Imagn Images In 2023, Portland landed Holiday in a deal with the Milwaukee Bucks for Damian Lillard, then sent the 16-year veteran to Boston and acquired a pair of first-round picks. Holiday never played a game for the Blazers. Per the report, the Celtics are actively involved in trade talks involving multiple players on their roster following Jayson Tatum's Achilles tear in the second round of the playoffs. In his first season with the Celtics, Holiday played an instrumental role in the team's run to the NBA title, shooting a career-high 42.9 percent from 3-point range in 2023-24 and earning All-Defensive team honors. Advertisement Holiday was a first-round pick (No. 17 overall) of the Philadelphia 76ers in 2009. He has career averages of 15.8 points, 6.2 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.4 steals with the 76ers (2009-13), New Orleans Pelicans (2013-20), Bucks (2020-23) and Celtics in 1,037 games (956 starts). He won his first NBA title with Milwaukee in 2021 and is a six-time All-Defensive selection. Simons, 26, was also a first-round selection, picked at No. 24 by the Blazers in 2018. In seven seasons with Portland he posted 15.0 points, 3.3 assists and 2.5 rebounds over 389 games (213 starts). He should fit in with the Celtics' offensive approach, as he has averaged nearly nine 3-point attempts per game the last three seasons and is a career 38.1 percent shooter from distance. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Boston Celtics trade Jrue Holiday to Portland for Anfernee Simons
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Business
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Boston Celtics tackle their salary overload; trade two key players
The Boston Celtics are sending Kristaps Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks as part of a three-team trade also involving the Brooklyn Nets, ESPN reported on Tuesday. Atlanta will receive the 7-foot-2 Porzingis and a second-round draft pick; the Nets get Hawks guard/forward Terance Mann and their No. 22 pick; and the Celtics gained Atlanta forward Georges Niang and a second-rounder, per the report. The oft-injured Kristaps Porzingis, who was set to be paid $30.7 million in 2025-26, was traded by the Celtics on Tuesday night in a three-team deal. The Celtics, who on Monday reportedly sent two-time All-Star guard Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers, will be out of the salary cap's second apron with the trade of the oft-injured Porzingis and save a projected $180 million in tax penalties, ESPN reported. Mar 24, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday (4) dribbles the ball against the Sacramento Kings in the first quarter at the Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson/Imagn Images Boston reportedly is actively involved in trade talks involving multiple players on their roster following star Jayson Tatum's Achilles tear in the second round of the playoffs. Advertisement Porzingis, 29, was an All-Star in 2017-18 with the New York Knicks, who drafted him with the No. 4 overall pick in 2015. Derailed by injuries, he missed the entire 2018-19 season with a torn ACL and has played fewer than 60 games in six of his last seven campaigns. He missed the start of this past season following offseason ankle surgery. The torn medial retinaculum injury, considered "rare," occurred during the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks, which the Celtics won in five games. Porzingis averaged 19.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.5 blocks and 28.8 minutes in playing in only 42 regular-season games (all starts) last season. He also played in 11 playoff games (seven starts) and averaged 7.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 21.0 minutes. For his career, Porzingis averages 19.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.8 blocks and 30.8 minutes in 501 games (500 starts) for the Knicks (2015-18), Mavericks (2019-22), Washington Wizards (2022-23) and Celtics. Advertisement He earned $29.2 million this season and is due to earn $30.7 million in 2025-26. The Los Angeles Clippers selected Mann in the second round of the 2019 draft. The Clippers traded Mann to the Hawks on Feb. 6. He averaged 9.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 22.7 minutes in 30 games (one start) for Atlanta — all improvements over his earlier averages in 37 games (12 starts) for Los Angeles. For his career, Mann, 28, averages 8.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 22.1 minutes in 412 games (169 starts) for the Clippers and Hawks. Georges Niang is reportedly coming to the Celtics as part of the Kristaps Porzingis deal. The Indiana Pacers picked Niang in the second round of the 2016 draft. Niang, who turned 32 on June 17, has averaged 7.4 points, 2.5 rebounds and 17.5 minutes in 544 games (32 starts). Advertisement Niang has played for the Pacers (2016-17), Utah Jazz (2017-21), Philadelphia 76ers (2021-23), Cleveland Cavaliers (2023-25) and Hawks, who acquired him on Feb. 6. He averaged 12.1 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 23.0 minutes in 28 games (two starts) for Atlanta. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Boston Celtics trade Porzingis, Holiday in cost-cutting move
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Knicks Predicted to 'Check In' on Celtics Center This NBA Offseason
Knicks Predicted to 'Check In' on Celtics Center This NBA Offseason originally appeared on Athlon Sports. For a period of time this spring, the New York Knicks appeared to have a real shot at winning the NBA championship. But the Indiana Pacers, their old rivals from the 1990s, were able to end their run in stunning fashion in the Eastern Conference finals. Advertisement As the Knicks continue their search for a new head coach, they also find themselves needing a better bench. Their lack of bench firepower was one reason why they fell short, and they could use another reinforcement in their frontcourt. Center Mitchell Robinson's future with the team is in question, which could mean they need to find a replacement if they decide to move on from him. Ian Begley of SNY feels Al Horford of the Boston Celtics could be an option. "Also, ESPN reports that Celtics veteran Al Horford will have a robust market this offseason," Begley wrote. "I think the Knicks will also at least check in on Horford's situation in Boston." Al Horford is predicted to have a robust market this offseason.© Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images Horford is 39 years of age, but he was still productive this season and could have one more serviceable year left in him. He made $9.5 million this season and will officially become a free agent on Monday, June 30. Advertisement He averaged 9.0 points, 6.2 rebounds and 0.9 blocks in 27.7 minutes a game while shooting 36.3% from 3-point range this season. He remains the type of multifaceted role player who can be an asset for a team such as the Knicks that is hoping to win it all. The Knicks haven't reached the NBA Finals since 1999 and haven't won the world championship since 1973. Their trip to the Eastern Conference finals this year was their first since 2000, which was Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing's final year with the franchise. Related: Jason Kidd's Immediate Message To Cooper Flagg Revealed This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 28, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Sport
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Gary Payton admits Bird was the only one who made him think twice about talking trash: "I didn't get discouraged by MJ, I didn't get discouraged by Reggie Miller"
Gary Payton admits Bird was the only one who made him think twice about talking trash: "I didn't get discouraged by MJ, I didn't get discouraged by Reggie Miller" originally appeared on Basketball Network. Gary Payton was tireless both in his defense and with his mouth. He was verbal and could rattle opponents' rhythm with a hand on their chest and throw off their confidence with a word in their ear. Night after night, he brought that Oakland spirit and kinetic fire to the floor, never backing down, never letting up. Advertisement Yet for all the noise he dished out over a 17-year Hall of Fame career, there was one name that brought a pause to the barking. Bird is next level Payton, for all his trash-talking, also got his fair share dished out to him. He faced a lot of trash talkers in his time, but one man gave him a run for his money. It was Larry Bird. "I didn't get discouraged by Michael Jordan, I didn't get discouraged by Reggie Miller," Payton said. "I thought they were great trash talkers, but if [there was] anyone that gave me some good lines and would come back and can back it up and hit a jump shot in your mouth, it was Larry Bird." Payton came into the league in 1990, a sharp-tongued point guard drafted second overall by the Seattle SuperSonics. By then, Bird was already a legend, three-time MVP, three-time NBA champion and the cerebral anchor of the '80s Celtics dynasty. But even in the twilight of his career, Bird commanded respect. Advertisement Payton, whose trash-talking résumé was nearly as decorated as his defensive accolades, quickly learned that the Boston icon was fluent in the very language he thought he'd mastered. Bird didn't just talk. He spat back. He'd tell opponents how he'd score, where he'd shoot from and when it was coming and then he'd go do exactly that, calmly walking back down the court without a smile or smirk. What made Bird different wasn't just the bite in his delivery; it was the precision in his execution. The man didn't need theatrics. His mouth worked like his jumper, smooth, calculated and darn near automatic. Payton, who averaged over 20 points and seven assists across seven straight seasons in the '90s, was the kind of player who made his living off disrupting confidence. But Bird was the kind of player whose confidence didn't crack. His lines were dry but devastating and his game was simple but surgical. Advertisement Even with a bad back and slowing legs, Bird still had that ghostly calm. Related: "We gave them a champion, and we didn't get Zion?" - Arenas isn't pleased with the Wizards' giving away Jordan Poole Legendary trash talker Bird's power came from his presence. And for a talker like Payton, it wasn't just about the words you threw; it was whether they could land. Apparently, the three-time MVP had the last word far too often. "I think Larry Bird was pretty good," Payton said. In the history of the NBA, the greatest trash talkers form a sort of underground lineage. Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell had their duels. Michael Jordan turned it into an art form. Reggie Miller weaponized it against crowds as much as players. Advertisement But Bird had a stoic, brutal efficiency. Payton, who retired in 2007 as the only point guard to win Defensive Player of the Year in over two decades, made a career out of taking away comfort. But Bird was never bothered. He wasn't louder. He was smarter. He had already read the script and chosen his shot. Bird's career numbers back up his trash-talking. He scored over 24,000 career points and earned 12 NBA All-Star nods. But it's not just the numbers. It's the mythos. The memory. The fact that even the loudest man in the league knew when he was talking to someone who didn't need to yell. Related: Seattle had to assign a player to drag Gary Payton to practice: "I'd challenge him and talk trash to him to get him going" This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 27, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jayson Tatum Makes Cooper Flagg Gesture After NBA Draft
Jayson Tatum Makes Cooper Flagg Gesture After NBA Draft originally appeared on Athlon Sports. To no surprise, Duke star Cooper Flagg went first overall in the NBA Draft on Wednesday and was selected by the Dallas Mavericks. Most considered Flagg to be the top prospect in the draft, and the general consensus was that he would go No. 1. Advertisement The future is bright for Flagg as he is just 18 years old and has the makings to be a star in the NBA. Additionally, the Mavericks were a Play-In team last season, so there is reason to believe he can help the team contend in the 2025-26 season. After the draft, Boston Celtics star and fellow Duke alum Jayson Tatum took to Instagram to reshare a picture of himself and Flagg. Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum reshares a post on / Instagram Flagg, a Maine native, has cited Tatum as one of the players he models his game after, and he even named him as the player he is most looking forward to going head-to-head against in the league. "That's a good question. Maybe Jayson Tatum," Flagg said about who he is looking forward to facing in the NBA. "That's somebody that I watched a lot at Duke and then watched a lot again as he went on to the Celtics." As it stands, it seems unlikely the newest Maverick will be able to fulfill this dream next season as Tatum is likely to miss the entire campaign due to his Achilles injury. Still, once the Celtics star makes his return to the court, this will be a game worth circling on the calendar for both fanbases. Advertisement With Flagg now in Dallas, there is a lot to like about the team's outlook as they aim to make it back to the playoffs. Ahead of his rookie season, it is clear that he has one big supporter in the league in Tatum, and only time will tell how he fares against him in NBA action down the line. Related: Cooper Flagg Turns Heads With Jayson Tatum Message After NBA Draft Related: Jrue Holiday Breaks Silence With 3-Word Message After Celtics Trade This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 26, 2025, where it first appeared.
