Jrue Holiday had options.
The 33-year-old guard had a player option for the 2024-25 season that he could have accepted to stay with the Boston Celtics for one more season before testing the free-agent waters in 2025.
But Holiday apparently was intent on staying in Boston long-term, and the feeling was mutual, as the Celtics locked up the talented veteran on a four-year, $135 million contract extension Wednesday night that takes him through the 2027-28 season.
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While Holiday officially became extension-eligible on April 1, the question of whether he'd be part of Boston's plans past 2024 had lurked in the background since the team traded for him in late September. For Holiday, however, the picture was more clear.
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"I thought it was pretty easy," Holiday told reporters Thursday about his decision to sign a contract extension with the Celtics. "I think, mutually, we kind of came to an agreement and felt like this was what was best for not only me, but for the team. Just hope it works."
Holiday is just three years removed from winning an NBA title with the Milwaukee Bucks, but the 15-year-veteran believes he has the opportunity to win more championships -- plural -- with this Celtics group.
"I want to be here; I want to win multiple rings," Holiday said. "I heard people say that here for plenty of times, so I’m ready for that.
“At the end of the day, I am glad that we got it done before the playoffs. If it would’ve happened after, I still would’ve been happy, I still would’ve been locked in. Just really, really happy and really blessed.”
Check out the video above for Holiday's full comments.
Holiday has had to make significant individual sacrifices on a loaded Celtics squad; his scoring average (12.5 points per game), assist average (4.9 per game) and shot volume (10.0 shot attempts per game) are all down significantly from his 2022-23 campaign. He's shooting a career-high 43.1 percent from 3-point range, though, and making a significant impact on the defensive end to give the C's exactly what they need.
The Celtics are in the enviable position of being an attractive destination for veterans intent on winning championships, and it's a testament to president of basketball operations Brad Stevens that he's created an environment where Holiday wants to be for the long haul.
