Jaylen Brown as top option, Jrue Holiday's trade value, more: Celtics mailbag, Part 1

New York Times

3 days ago

The Boston Celtics wanted to begin the NBA Finals this week but are staring at an uneasy offseason instead. With Jayson Tatum in the early stages of a long injury rehabilitation and Brad Stevens set to confront his roster's financial predicament, the summer should bring significant change.
It's a good time to answer questions from the readers. Here's Part 1 of our Celtics mailbag.
Questions have been lightly edited for style, grammar and clarity.
Assuming Jaylen Brown's still on the roster for the 2025-26 season, this would be his first season as 'The Guy' on the Celtics. Could you predict his stat line for the season and would that include any offseason awards/honors? — Grant G.
Brown's development as a primary playmaker should leave him more prepared now to be 'the guy' than he was at any other point in his career. He set a career high with 6.6 assists per 100 possessions this season, and a look under the hood shows an even more promising outlook.
When he was on the court without Tatum, Brown averaged 9.6 assists per 100 possessions, which would have ranked in the top 20 league-wide. Over three games without Tatum in the playoffs, Brown averaged 27.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 7.7 assists per game — and he did that with a banged-up knee. He looked capable of handling more responsibilities than he would ever carry with Tatum alongside him.
Advertisement
How would Brown do in that role for a full season? How would he do in that role without as much talent around him because the Celtics need to shed significant salary this summer? Brown would have a chance to prove he can handle life as the No. 1 option. I would estimate that he would average 25 points, six rebounds and six assists, which would be enough to land him on an All-NBA team if Boston wins enough games.
Has Brad given up on Kristaps Porziņģis being someone he can count on in terms of playing at full strength when it matters? — Jeff M.
The playoffs were a disaster for Porziņģis. While fighting through lingering symptoms of a virus, he shot an abysmal 31.6 percent from the field and was ineffective on both ends of the court. The Celtics were 18.7 points per 100 possessions better without Porziņģis on the floor during the second round and probably should have cut his minutes further if not entirely. His inability to function normally wasn't the only factor that sank them, but it was one of the biggest holes in their ship.
Because Porziņģis ended the season with such a splat, it's easy to forget he played some of his best basketball with the Celtics late in the regular season. After his initial bout with the illness sidelined him for eight consecutive games from late February to mid-March, he averaged 22.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game over his next nine appearances, shooting 53.9 percent from the field, including 46.2 percent on 3-point attempts. The Celtics outscored opponents by 19.2 points per 100 possessions with Porziņģis on the court during that stretch.
It's hard to believe the same guy who effortlessly flicked away the Knicks with 34 points during the final week of the regular season failed to score more than 8 points in any playoff game against them, but Porziņģis wasn't the same throughout the postseason. Does that mean the Celtics should give up on him entirely? Probably not. He had reasons for floundering in the playoffs. Before then, he had produced for Boston whenever he was healthy.
Advertisement
It would be natural for the Celtics to have reservations about Porziņģis' ability to stay on the court, but other teams will have those same reservations. If the Celtics trade him now, they would be doing so at a low value when he might just need a little time to rest and recover to look like himself again. They could explore moving him anyway (just about anyone on their roster could be on the table), but he probably has plenty of good basketball left in him. He just didn't have any of that good basketball to give during the playoffs.
Please explain to me what the Celtics see in Jordan Walsh. I watch a lot, and he was nothing. Even the advanced stats are terrible (e.g., 112 defensive rating last year). Do they have to keep him for a third year? If so, could they hide him in the G League? — Frank F.
Walsh turned 21 shortly before the regular season ended. He entered the league as a real project on offense and has played only 486 NBA minutes over his first two seasons. Most of those minutes have either come in garbage time or when he was unexpectedly thrown into the rotation. It would be unfair to judge his future based solely on what he has shown so far (also, defensive rating is not an individual statistic). That said, as you implied, he hasn't proved he deserves consistent minutes yet.
Walsh could get them anyway. While there isn't much positive to Tatum's torn Achilles, Walsh and Baylor Scheierman should benefit from the additional runway coming for them. Tatum's injury alone will open up about 37 minutes per game, and further roster moves could leave more opportunity on the perimeter. The Celtics should get a much better look at each of their young wings.
When the Celtics drafted Walsh in 2023, they were extremely high on his defensive potential. Nothing he has done should change that. He has long arms, good instincts and quick enough feet to stay in front of much smaller players. He still needs to develop a better outside shot and more confidence in his entire offensive game, but he has the look of a developing stopper. While the Celtics are without Tatum for most of next season, if not all of it, Walsh should get a chance to learn in prime time instead of behind the scenes.
Is there any avenue for the Celtics to acquire the No. 1 pick in this year's draft? — Jack J.
Any shot we get Cooper Flagg? — Connor N.
You know how the saying goes: Shoot for Cooper Flagg. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars. Or something like that.
Advertisement
I love how high fans reach. But no. The Mavericks could make sense as a trade partner for Boston (more on that soon), but not for the top pick. I suspect general manager Nico Harrison is likely done making indefensible moves for at least a little while.
I keep seeing people say that Brad Stevens is going to have to attach picks to trade Jrue Holiday. I can't help but think that the people making basketball decisions still look at what Jrue brings to a team and see real value. I get that the contract gets tougher to justify at the very end, but the dude is the ultimate glue guy. Do you believe that he still has stand-alone value, or do the Celtics need to add to the trade package if they want to trade him? — Jacob E.
Who do you think would be the most interesting trade partner this offseason? — Cody C.
For the sake of this mailbag, I'll combine these two questions into a single answer.
Holiday remains a top defensive guard. He is an elite locker room influence. Though he turns 35 next week, he is the type of veteran good teams value. The end of his contract might not be pretty (he has a player option for $37.2 million in 2027-28), but he takes good care of his body. He could age well if he can avoid the various minor injuries he dealt with this season. (Maybe he can't. As he said at one point during the season, he's old.)
There will be a market for him. Among other teams, the Mavericks could make a lot of sense. We already know how Harrison feels about defense after he repeatedly said it wins championships. His team could use an extra ballhandler while Kyrie Irving recovers from a torn ACL and a defensive-minded backcourt presence to play alongside Irving once he returns. With Flagg set to join Anthony Davis in a deep frontcourt, the Mavericks have a chance to field a special defense. Adding Holiday would only turn that group into more of a problem for opponents. Good luck scoring on him with Davis and Flagg behind him.
Making the trade partner an even more logical fit, the Mavericks have a surplus in the frontcourt with Daniel Gafford, Dereck Lively and P.J. Washington competing for minutes, plus some young players such as Max Christie who could appeal to Boston. The Celtics' desire to shed salary would complicate any trade, but any team that considers Holiday the missing piece would be motivated to find a deal.
Assuming normal health from Brown and Derrick White … in the East, the Celtics still seem like no worse than a six seed, right? How do you think that impacts Brad's approach re: the idea of semi-tanking? — Aaron M.
Even if the Bucks trade Giannis Antetokounmpo this summer, the Cavaliers, Knicks and Pacers would all be good bets to finish ahead of the Celtics. The young Pistons and Magic could be due for jumps, as well, and some other teams such as the 76ers and Hawks will have a chance to be pretty good. I don't think the Celtics would be promised a top-six finish if they return most of their players, but that would be a feasible outcome for them in that case.
Will they return most of their players, though? Luke Kornet and Al Horford are free agents and Horford didn't close the door on retirement at exit interviews. Even if the front office intends to be as competitive as possible next season, the team's financial position suggests that at least one starter will be traded. If Horford and Kornet also walk, that would leave the Celtics down three important pieces already, plus Tatum. Even if Tatum does return late next season, he would likely be significantly diminished while playing his way back from the injury. The Celtics would be getting something back in any big trade (or trades), but a significant fall down the standings still wouldn't be out of the question.
Advertisement
Would Stevens 'semi-tank,' as you put it? I don't know if that's the right word for it, but the Celtics could absolutely reshape their roster with a focus on building a contender for two seasons from now when Tatum figures to be healthier. They would have prioritized the present with a healthy Tatum, but his injury changed the calculus on a lot of decisions for the organization. I'm not sure exactly what changes that shift will produce, but it will be a fascinating offseason.