Jrue Holiday will join the Boston Celtics on their quest for Banner 18 this upcoming NBA season. But what's the plan for the veteran guard beyond 2024?
Holiday, who was acquired Sunday in a blockbuster trade with the Portland Trail Blazers, made it clear during his introductory press conference that he's thrilled to be a Celtic. The 33-year-old raved about the organization's history and the sustained success it has had in recent years.
🔊 Celtics Talk: Holiday Edition: Celtics gush excitement as Jrue is introduced | Listen & Subscribe | Watch on YouTube
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Boston sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
"I mean, you just look at the résumé, right? You look at the history that this place has had," Holiday said. "You look at the organization and everything that I've always heard about it. You look at how competitive they've been in the last five, six years and even before that. Even when I was in Philly, I went to Game 7 (against) Boston (in the 2012 playoffs). (Rajon) Rondo hit two 3s to go to the conference championship. So, ever since I've been into the league and before that, this has been a championship-caliber organization.
"It was a very easy decision that this would be one of the places that I would've loved to come to. We also lost to you guys in seven games not too long ago (in the 2022 Eastern Conference semifinals), so I think being a part of this type of organization and this group is something that I really wanted to be a part of."
That certainly sounds like someone who wouldn't mind calling Boston home for the next few years, but Holiday has a $39.4 million player option for 2024-25 and is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent the following summer. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the Celtics are expected to work to sign him to a long-term contract.
Here's what Stevens had to say about that possibility:
"We've wanted him here for a long time and when the time comes and we're allowed to talk about those types of things, this is something that we hope can be a long-term relationship, obviously beyond these years of his contract," Stevens said. "But we have a few months to go before we can get too deep into that stuff."
MORE CELTICS
Holiday added that Stevens has already discussed the subject with him.
"He's communicated that with me from the beginning," he said. "Something that's huge for me is communication. Being open and honest and up front. He's done that for me from the beginning, so I definitely appreciate that."
If Holiday lives up to the hype as a perfect fit for Boston's backcourt, it shouldn't take long for Stevens to sign him to a long-term deal. Stevens has been open about coveting Holiday for several years. Now that he finally has his guy, it seems unlikely he'll let him slip away after one season.
You can watch Holiday's full introductory press conference below: