Even as he recovers from surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon, Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum made sure to acknowledge the departures of a couple of locker room favorites.
After all, the pair — acquired during separate moves in the 2023 offseason — helped end a 16-year title drought by bringing the franchise its NBA-record 18th championship. So, even as he faces a grueling rehabilitation process stemming from a non-contact injury suffered in Boston’s Eastern Conference semifinals series against the New York Knicks, Tatum took time to show his appreciation.
“Two gold medals and a championship,” Tatum wrote in an Instagram post following the announcement Monday that Jrue Holiday had been traded to the Portland Trailblazers. “Forever grateful to have been your teammate. Great player and better person. My dawg for life.”
Holiday came to Boston after having previously won a championship with the Milwaukee Bucks, giving the Celtics a strong starting point guard with a reputation for playing on both ends of the floor. That reputation paid off with the Celtics winning it all in 2024, but with the team needing to shed salary in order to avoid penalization under the league’s luxury tax rules, the $104.4 million remaining on Holiday’s contract proved too costly — Especially as Boston faces the prospect of a season without Tatum.
In return for Holiday, this year’s NBA Sportsmanship Award winner, Boston received shooting guard Anfernee Simons and two second-round picks, a move that will save the Celtics roughly $4.7 million in salary next season.
When it comes to savings, however, Boston’s biggest move came via a three-team trade that sent center Kristaps Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks. That move will save the Celtics more than $22 million next season, even with the acquisition of guard Terrance Mann from the Brooklyn Nets and Atlanta’s 22nd pick in this year’s NBA Draft.
“Big fella! Never a doubt what you meant to this city and to this team,” Tatum wrote on Instagram after Wednesday’s news of the Porzingis deal broke. “Thankful for you always, champ!”
For his part, Porzingis also acknowledged the trade on social media, making sure to thank the Celtics organization and its fans. Porzingis was a key figure on Boston’s championship team in 2024, but struggled to make a significant impact down the stretch this season following a severe respiratory illness.
“Boston will always be special in my heart,” the 7-foot, 2-inch Latvian wrote. “Huge thank you to the organization, coaches, staff, my teammates and the fans! Class organization. Forever grateful.”
To this point, Boston has seemingly cut enough salary to stay under the league’s second apron of its salary tax, though it remains to be seen if further moves are to come. Reports suggest that teams have shown interest in the likes of Jaylen Brown and Derrick white — who wouldn’t be interested in those two? — Though all indications are that Director of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens remains adamant on keeping that core together.
Which, if things go smoothly with Tatum’s recovery, just may keep Boston’s hope of winning 19th NBA title sooner than later alive and well.
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