Even after the move, the Celtics still need to trim nearly $20 million to get under the second luxury tax apron and another $20 million beyond that to escape the luxury tax entirely. Because of that, league sources believe the Holiday trade will be only the first domino to fall for Boston. The Celtics are still shopping other players, including Kristaps Porziņģis, with an eye on alleviating their salary-cap dilemma, according to league sources.
Source: New York Times
Source: New York Times
More on this storyline
“But unless they know something about Porzingis that we don’t, I don’t see how they can let him go. When Boston was right, he’s a major factor and they win. Yeah, he wasn’t a huge part of what they did in the playoffs last year. Because of the matchups, it didn’t hurt them that bad when he missed a bunch of games. But then you look and see, he scored well when he did play, and he was giving them a couple of blocks a game in limited minutes. He gives you something you can’t really guard. He opens up their offense, and he gives them so much at the rim on the other end of the floor. -via Heavy.com / June 16, 2025
It’s a few minutes into a conversation about Tom Thibodeau being let go by the New York Knicks. The different sides to the matter are being discussed — and you should know that, among NBA types, there IS more than one side to the issue. Suddenly, the front office source on the other end of the line changes course. In so doing, he makes this a story about the Boston Celtics’ future, not the Knicks’ past. “You do realize that if Porzingis is heathy, we’re not having this conversation, right?” he says. “The Celtics win that series, Thibodeau gets fired and almost nobody gives it a second thought. It had been set up that he needed to get that team this far or that far, or his job could be in question. Then they get to the conference finals and they still let him go. What does that tell you?” -via Heavy.com / June 16, 2025
Holiday is 35 as of June 12, and Porzingis is coming off a postseason where he was limited by a respiratory ailment. “I don’t know what they’re going to be able to do with the luxury tax and the new ownership, but from a purely basketball standpoint, Boston is still in really good shape,” the source told Heavy Sports. “Hell, there are a lot of teams that hope they break up part of that team, because that will give others a better chance. -via Heavy.com / June 16, 2025