NBA

Celtics pull off unexpected trade featuring Jayson Tatum’s key teammate

A trade that caught everyone off guard—especially with the Celtics making the move so soon after the season ended, and parting ways with a key Jayson Tatum teammate who appeared in over 60 games for the team this year.

Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics reacts in the fourth quarter against the New York Knicks in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Second Round NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 12, 2025 in New York City.
© Elsa/Getty ImagesJayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics reacts in the fourth quarter against the New York Knicks in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Second Round NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 12, 2025 in New York City.

The Boston Celtics aren’t wasting any time, pulling off a major trade that sends one of Jayson Tatum’s core teammates out in exchange for a shooting guard with seven years of experience with the Portland Trail Blazers and a pair of draft picks.

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Shams Charania broke the news on X, detailing what Tatum’s team had just done: “The Boston Celtics have traded Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers for Anfernee Simons and two second-round picks, sources tell ESPN.” The post quickly gained traction, racking up nearly 700,000 views.

Jrue Holiday‘s contributions this season included averaging 11.1 points per game over 62 contests playing alongside Jayson Tatum. He ranked fourth among Celtics players in games played and was a crucial component of their 2023-24 NBA championship run.

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Strong Social Media Reaction to Trade

The reaction on X (formerly Twitter) and other social media platforms was swift and significant. Most comments expressed gratitude to Holiday for his role in securing an NBA title. However, others voiced confusion over the trade and questioned how the Celtics could benefit from the move.

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“None of this was ever going to be pretty but Simons is a bonafide 20 pt shooter/scorer and he fits in Jays age range,” Celtics fan Derrick Washington posted on X. Another fan remarked, “What was the reason for trading a very good, promising 26 year old + 2 second round picks for an aging Jrue Holiday. Makes no sense for the Blazers..

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Holiday’s Earnings with the Celtics

Holiday’s pockets were certainly well-lined during his tenure in Boston, as the franchise paid him $67,670,347 for his years of service with the team. While his time was relatively brief, it proved to be financially lucrative for him.

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