A recent trade involving veteran guard Jrue Holiday has significant implications for fantasy basketball managers. Holiday moved from Boston to Portland in a late Monday deal that sent Anfernee Simons and two second-round draft picks to Boston.
We examine how this trade is expected to impact the fantasy values of both players for the upcoming season.
Simons in Boston
Anfernee Simons, 26, averaged 15.0 points per game over his seven seasons with Portland. He joins a Boston Celtics team known for prioritizing three-point shooting. Simons is a career 38.1% shooter from beyond the arc and has consistently attempted over 7.8 threes per game in the last four years.
After a career-high 22.6 PPG in 2023-24, his scoring slightly decreased to 19.3 PPG last season. Simons now lands on a Celtics squad potentially without star Jayson Tatum, who sustained an Achilles injury and might miss the entire next season. Despite previous injury concerns, Simons appeared in a personal-best 70 games last season and is likely to see significant usage in Boston. However, his historically low defensive contributions (0.5 steals per game career) may cap his overall fantasy upside.
Even with increased opportunity, Simons is currently projected as a late-round fantasy selection unless Boston faces additional significant injuries. While gaining some immediate appeal, he remains a borderline fantasy asset.
Holiday in Portland
Jrue Holiday joins the growing list of veterans on Portland`s rebuilding roster, and unlike some past additions, he might stay. Last season, Holiday`s scoring (11.1 PPG) was his lowest since his rookie year in 2009-10, but he still proved to be a solid three-point threat (1.7 threes per game) and an effective defender (1.1 steals per game).
Holiday`s fantasy value is highly dependent on his role and usage in Portland. Given the presence of young guards Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe, he might not have enough playmaking opportunities to be more than a late-round or streaming candidate in many fantasy formats. Interestingly, his arrival could positively impact teammates, particularly Deni Avdija. Avdija is anticipated to take on more offensive duties, making his strong finish last season even more relevant, and arguably making him a beneficiary of this move.
While Holiday brings defensive prowess to Portland, his fantasy upside at age 35 appears limited. Fantasy managers should focus on targeting Deni Avdija and closely watching the playing time allocated to Portland`s developing young players.