The Boston Celtics surprised everyone in the NBA last offseason when they acquired Kristaps Porzingis from the Washington Wizards. At first, the Los Angeles Clippers were also involved in the three-time exchange. The Celtics would have sent Malcolm Brogdon, the Sixth Man of the Year winner at the time, to Los Angeles in exchange for the player. But the deal fell through, and the Celtics made a change of heart. Rather, the franchise dealt Marcus Smart, a fan favourite, to the Memphis Grizzlies. It seemed at the time that the Celtics traded Smart as a last-ditch contingency plan in case the Brogdon trade fell through. But it appears that this is no longer the case. The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor claims that the Celtics always intended to trade Smart—just not in this exact form. Rather, in order to get point guard Tyrus Jones, the Celtics would have sent Smart to Memphis in a different trade.
“A lot of Celtics fans were devastated at the time. Smart was a beloved fan and a devoted Celtic. It was unfortunate that the team dealt him rather than Brogdon, particularly with a player like Porzingis who is prone to injuries. However, there is one important aspect that is absent from that first story: according to league sources, Smart would still have been sent to the Grizzlies for Tyus Jones and two firsts after the KP for Brogdon deal was finalised.
In the end, Jones was sent to Washington as part of the Porzingis trade. The Duke product averaged 12 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game in his first campaign with the Wizards. For Jones, these are all career highs.
Tyus Jones, a former first-round pick acquired by the Boston Celtics last summer, suggests that Jrue Holiday is unlikely to be acquired by the team.
In October 2023, the Celtics acquired guard Jude Holiday from the Portland Trail Blazers in yet another surprising transaction. The Milwaukee Bucks had just moved Holiday away in return for Damian Lillard. The two-time All-Star was ultimately signed by the Celtics, in spite of several other teams’ interest. It is improbable that the Celtics would have acquired Holiday in addition to Jones, had they acquired him. Rather, Jones, Brogdon, Derrick White, and Payton Pritchard would have served as the primary guards for the Celtics.
Fortunately, the Celtics’ move for Holiday turned out to be a wise one. The season-long contributions of Holiday helped the Celtics win their first NBA championship since 2008. In addition, Holiday and Boston agreed to a four-year, $135 million contract extension in April.
Final Word
Despite the fact that Jones is a skilled NBA player who just had a stellar season, Celtics supporters should be pleased with how things worked out. Even before they made the trade for Holiday, the Celtics were a title contender. It is reasonable to assume that Holiday assisted in elevating them to a new level, nevertheless. He is unmatched in his ability to influence every facet of the game on the court. In addition, his attitude as a team player enabled the Celtics to overcome their obstacles and ultimately win another championship for Boston.
“I’m a utility guy,” Holiday declared, and if that’s all he has to offer, then rank him as the NBA’s top player in that capacity. “I’ll take all action necessary. My goal in being here is to succeed. They seem to have brought me here to win, and I will try my hardest to achieve that.
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