BREAKING: Celtics Starter Playing for His Job After the All-Star Break

Dec 15, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla looks on from the bench against the Washington Wizards in the second quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

While the Boston Celtics are hoping to win their second consecutive NBA title, many of their fans are wondering about the long-term future of the franchise. The reigning champions are the favorites to win the championship again with +195 odds on FanDuel Sportsbook. How much longer they will be able to keep this core together, however, remains a fascinating question.

The Celtics are already one of the most expensive teams in the league this season. In the 2025-26 season, they are projected to have over $225 million in salary, by far the largest number in the league. This is $37 million over the tax threshold, per Spotrac. This makes their estimated luxury tax bill for the ownership $250 million. This means that the Celtics roster, as it is currently constructed, will cost nearly $500 million.

Therefore, it is almost a certainty that the Celtics will make moves in the offseason to reduce their payroll going forward. One of the easiest paths to serious savings will be to move on from Jrue Holiday.

Reporting for NBA Countdown on Celtics guard Jrue Holiday’s four-year, $135M extension pic.twitter.com/Cg0YdW4jt0

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 10, 2024

The 34-year-old guard is due $32.4 million next season, $34.8 million the year after, and has a player option for $37.2 in 2027-28.

While Holiday is a hugely important part of this team, he has been showing signs of decline this season. He has the lowest usage rate of his career at 16% and is shooting a poor 34.2% from three. He is a step slower on both ends of the floor.

The veteran guard is still a solid defender and provides a ton of defensive versatility for this team. At the same time, he will turn 35 over the summer. The Celtics can likely find an upgrade using their draft assets while also getting less expensive.

Holiday can make a case for himself to stay for another season if he improves his performance after the All-Star break. Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford are other candidates who the Celtics could potentially move on from instead of Holiday. A repeat could also force the ownership’s hand to keep this team together for longer, but Holiday’s time in Boston may be slowly coming to an end.