NBA Rumors: Celtics, Jrue Holiday, Lakers, Austin Reaves, Nuggets

Celtics

The Celtics very well could look to move guard Jrue Holiday this summer, but hey, good luck with that.

Per Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, it may not be so easy.

“Multiple rival executives have passed along that, for all of Holiday’s unquestioned championship know-how after contributing to title teams in Milwaukee and Boston, some form of incentive (such as draft compensation) might have to be attached to Holiday’s contract by the Celtics to convince someone to absorb the $104 million remaining on the 34-year-old’s deal over the next three seasons,” Fischer wrote.

Boston could undergo a bit of a shakeup this offseason, given the massive salary penalties that will be handed down. So clearing some money is expected to be a top priority.

“I know there will be a lot of questions about what’s next,” president of basketball operations Brad Stevens told reporters earlier this week. “At the end of the day I think that will all be driven by the same thing that’s always driven us. And that’s: ‘How do we get ourselves in the mix to compete for championships best?’ I think that we’ll get more clarity as we take a deep breath [and] get a little more sleep than we have the last three nights.”

• Along with that, fellow Boston guard Derrick White has been linked to the Warriors. That seems like a long shot for now, but let there be no doubt, the Celtics may not return as currently constructed.
• Center/forward Kristaps Porzingis is another name to watch. “Holiday and Porzingis — who is under contract for only one more season at $30.7 million — are frequently mentioned as potential trade candidates should Boston ultimately decide to try to reduce its payroll in the wake of Jayson Tatum‘s devastating Achilles tear,” Fischer wrote.

Lakers

One opposing lead scout told Hoops Wire that he believes the Lakers will have a difficult time moving the needle in a trade this offseason.

“A lot of people would love to have Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura, but what is LA going to get back for those two?” he asked. “I just don’t think it would be something that they view as enough.”

That said, the scout went on to suggest that the Lakers don’t need to try to bring in a third star next to Luka Doncic and LeBron James.

“As we’ve seen (in the conference finals), it’s often just about fit, as opposed to making a massive splash,” the scout said.

Of the two, the scout predicted that Reaves would be easier to trade and may bring more back than Hachimura.

Nuggets

• The scout went on to tell Hoops Wire that he hears the Nuggets are already exploring ways to improve their bench, even with no full-time GM. Ben Tenzer is serving as interim GM and could end up getting hired for the position, reports suggest.
• Michael Porter Jr. is a key name to watch this summer, though Denver remains very iffy about breaking up its core from the 2023 championship team. Trading some young players in reserve for a couple of older (and cheap) veterans is an option the Nuggets are considering, the scout said.