Jrue Holiday to Blazers: A Comprehensive Trade Analysis for Fantasy Basketball
Holiday for Simons!
Trade Breakdown:
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Boston Celtics have traded Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Anfernee Simons and two second-round draft picks, marking a significant strategic move for both franchises. The Celtics are in need of an offensive playmaker to fill the void from Jayson Tatum’s Achilles injury which will sideline him for the majority of the upcoming season. Portland adds some veteran leadership to a crowded backcourt and appears ready to turn the keys of the franchise over to last year’s late-season fantasy stars, Shaedon Sharpe and Deni Avdija.
· Financial Implications: Holiday owed ~$72 million through 2027-28
· Luxury Tax Savings: Approximately $40 million for Boston (per Bobby Marks, ESPN)
Projected Blazers Starting Lineup:
· Jrue Holiday
· Shaedon Sharpe
· Toumani Camara
· Deni Avdija
· Donovan Clingan
Projected Celtics Starting Lineup:
· Derrick White
· Jaylen Brown
· Anfernee Simons
· Kristaps Porzingis
· Luke Kornet/Al Horford
Fantasy Basketball Impact:
1. Jrue Holiday:
· Maintains similar usage to Boston
· Career-high 42.9% 3-point shooting in 2023-24
· Championship experience
· Defensive Rating Boost: Blazers ranked 3rd in defense post-Jan. 19
2. Anfernee Simons:
Significant Upgrade
· 26-year-old scoring guard, expiring contract
· Averaging 9 3-point attempts per game
· Fits Mazzulla's 3-point heavy offensive scheme
· Top-75 fantasy upside
3. Shaedon Sharpe:
Clear Winner
· Franchise cornerstone opportunity at 22 years old
· April 2024 Performance (w/o Simons): 28.8 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 4.8 APG
· Expanded offensive role, should see 30+ minutes per game
· Potential breakout season, top-50 fantasy upside
4. Scoot Henderson:
Potential Upgrade
· Veteran mentorship from Holiday
· Should see increased minutes and usage
5. Deni Avdija
Potential Upgrade
· Should see increased minutes and usage
· March & April 2024 (w/o Simons): 24.9 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 5.5 APG
· Potential breakout season, top-50 fantasy upside
6. Derek White
Status Quo
· Could see an increase in assists
· Should hover around 16/5/5
· Top-50 fantasy upside
7. Sam Hauser/Payton Pritchard
Potential Downgrade
· Less overall minutes and usage
· Fringe top-100 upside, streamers
Fantasy Draft Implications:
· Holiday: Late-round draft pick with defensive upside
· Simons: Intriguing mid-round 3-point specialist
· Sharpe/Avdija: mid-round breakout candidates
· Henderson: Emerging talent to watch in late rounds
Conclusion:
To me, the clear winners of the trade are Anfernee Simons, Shaedon Sharpe, and Deni Avdija. The deal makes sense for both teams and creates a great fantasy opportunity for Henderson in Portland. In Boston, the fantasy impact is less clear – and probably less drastic – on players other than Simons. While Simons is spelling Tatum, it’s reasonable to believe the other Celtics should be able to maintain their fantasy output for much of the upcoming season.
by John Fritz
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Robbin Marx
NBA Fantasy Analyst
Experience: NBC Sports - Rotoworld, HashTag Basketball, Bleav Network
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