The Celtics and Trail Blazers on Monday officially completed the trade that sent point guard Jrue Holiday to Portland and guard Anfernee Simons to Boston, but the final deal required alterations, with the Celtics no longer receiving the two second-round picks that were part of the original agreement.<\/p>\n
According to multiple league sources, concerns were raised because of \u201cnew findings\u201d during Holiday\u2019s medical examinations. Sources said they were not substantial enough for the deal to be nullified, but they did give the Trail Blazers pause.<\/p>\n
So, Boston agreed to move forward with the deal without the 2030 and 2031 second-round picks that Portland originally agreed to include. Sources declined to reveal specifics of Holiday\u2019s situation but stressed he was continuing normal offseason training without restriction. He is expected to be fully healthy for the start of training camp, too.<\/p>\n
The Celtics traded Holiday, in large part, to help dip below the salary cap\u2019s second apron and avoid increasingly severe roster-building restrictions and to help their future flexibility. Holiday, 35, has three years remaining on the four-year, $135 million extension he signed with the Celtics in April 2024<\/a>.<\/p>\n Get Starting Point<\/p>\n A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday.<\/p>\n Also on Monday, the Celtics completed the three-team deal in which center Kristaps Porzingis<\/a> and a 2026 second-round pick were traded to the Hawks in exchange for forward Georges Niang and a 2031 second-round pick.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are so thankful for KP and Jrue and the time we had together in Boston,\u201d Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said in a statement. \u201cThey were great Celtics whose impact on our organization went well beyond the court. They were integral parts of two great teams, including one which brought us all a new banner. Their impact on this organization will last a long time, and we look forward to celebrating them when they return to the Garden this season.\u201d<\/p>\n Simons, 26, averaged 19.3 points and 4.8 assists last season.<\/a> He is due to make $27.7 million in the final year of a four-year, $100 million contract. Niang, a Methuen native, split last season between the Cavaliers and the Hawks<\/a> and averaged 9.9 points and 3.4 rebounds while shooting 40.6 percent from the 3-point line. The 32-year-old will make $8.2 million next season on an expiring deal.<\/p>\n \u201cAnfernee is a really good young player who has continuously improved in his seven years in the NBA,\u201d Stevens said. \u201cGeorges is no stranger to Boston and has continuously been a winning player over the course of his career. We are excited to add both of them to the team.\u201d<\/p>\n The Celtics are about $20 million over the luxury tax line with all 15 roster spots filled, but teams are required to carry just 14 players. Sources have stressed that ownership has not issued any financial edicts to the front office, but the Celtics have been a tax team for the last three years, and teams are hit with harsh repeater penalties when going over the mark in three of four seasons.<\/p>\n So, avoiding the tax this year, with Jayson Tatum<\/a> likely to miss the entire season because of an Achilles\u2019 injury anyway, could help Boston eventually reset that clock.<\/p>\n A league source said Monday that no trades were imminent, but that the Celtics would continue to explore all avenues. There is often a lull during this part of the offseason, before movement in the restricted free agent market heats up.<\/p>\n Former Celtics center Luke Kornet officially signed his four-year, $41 million deal with the Spurs. Veteran big man Al Horford\u2019s future remains unclear. A league source said Horford is taking his time while assessing offers from multiple teams but added that the 39-year-old is considering retirement, too.<\/p>\n The Celtics also officially announced the signings of free agents<\/a> Luka Garza and Josh Minott to contracts.<\/p>\n Garza, a 6-foot-10-inch center, was a second-round pick by the Pistons in 2021. The 26-year-old played for the Timberwolves last season, averaging 3.5 points and 1.4 rebounds in 39 games. He reportedly received a two-year, $5.5 million deal.<\/p>\n Minott, 22, a 6-8 forward, also played for the Timberwolves last season, averaging 2.6 points and one rebound while playing in a career-high 46 games. His contract is reportedly a two-year, $5 million deal. He was a second-round pick by Minnesota in 2022.<\/p>\n Adam Himmelsbach can be reached at adam.himmelsbach@globe.com<\/a>. Follow him @adamhimmelsbach<\/a>.<\/p>\n