NBA Championships: Boston Celtics Emerge as Favorites with Jrue Holiday Deal
The Portland Trail Blazers have conducted a shocking trade, sending point guard Jrue Holiday to the Boston Celtics. This move comes shortly after they acquired Holiday in a massive deal involving All-Star Damian Lillard.
The Celtics and Bucks are now joint favorites to win the 2023-24 NBA championship at 4/1 odds. Both teams are also front-runners to take home the Eastern Conference title with 3.5/1 odds.
The highly-skilled Holiday, aged 33, was selected for last year's NBA All-Star Game and has made it to the All-NBA Defensive team five times. He averaged 19.3 points and 7.4 assists per game for the Bucks during the previous season.
Why has the Boston Celtics made such a move? They traded Robert Williams III, Malcolm Brogdon, and two future first-round draft picks (2024 and 2029) to the Trail Blazers in exchange for Holiday.
The odds of winning the NBA championship shifted after the Bucks acquired Lillard. However, the Celtics leveled the playing field by bringing in Holiday. Several teams were chasing after Holiday due to his status as an elite defender and top two-way guard. The Celtics emerged as the victor, beating the likes of the Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers, Chicago Bulls, and New York Knicks.
Celtics Reshape Their Roster
The Boston Celtics last appeared in the NBA Finals two seasons ago, only to lose to the Golden State Warriors. They achieved the #2 seed in the east in the previous postseason but were knocked out during the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals. They went up against the Miami Heat three times within a four-year span. Unfortunately, the Heat defeated the Celtics in a long, grueling seven-game series.
General manager Brad Stevens is working tirelessly to build a championship-contender centered on their two major stars, forward Jayson Tatum and guard Jaylen Brown. Stevens was busy throughout the off-season.
The Celtics and the Washington Wizards completed a three-team deal, with the Memphis Grizzlies coming into the picture. The Celtics obtained point guard Marcus Smart from the Grizzlies as part of this deal, while the Wizards sent center Kristaps Porzingis to the Celtics.
The Celtics also acquired two second-round draft picks in a trade which saw them send forward Grant Williams to the Dallas Mavericks in a sign-and-trade deal.
Not done yet, the Celtics acquired Holiday from the Trail Blazers in a three-way deal. The Celtics offered Brogdon, Williams III, and two first-round draft picks. Even though Brogdon was the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year with the Celtics last season, he was hampered by injuries throughout the playoffs. The Celtics had to sacrifice their undisputed rim protector and versatile defender, Williams III, to strengthen their perimeter defense.
With the current roster, Holiday will join Brown in the backcourt while Tatum, Porzingis, and Al Horford form the front line.
The Celtics had a stellar record of 57 wins last season and are predicted to win 55.5 games this year.
Celtics fans are thrilled with the team's 2/1 odds of winning the Atlantic Division title for a third consecutive time.
What's Next for the Trail Blazers?
The Heat missed their chance when they put forward a package of two first-round draft picks, guard Tyler Herro, second-year forward Nikola Jovic, and rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. Joe Cronin, the Trail Blazers' general manager, hit his target of trading Lillard before October 2's NBA Media Day.
Cronin achieved a remarkable return on the Lillard deal, surpassing what the Heat had offered. After the Lillard and Holiday trades, the Trail Blazers gained three first-round draft picks and two first-round swaps.
New arrivals include center Deandre Ayton and rookie Toumani Camara from the Phoenix Suns, along with Brogdon and Williams III from the Celtics following the trades.
Jusuf Nurkic, Nassir Little, and Keon Johnson were all let go by the Trail Blazers in separate trades to acquire both Holiday and Ayton. These three players headed to the Phoenix Suns to finalize the Lillard deal with the Bucks.
The Trail Blazers could potentially move on from Brogdon and Williams III before long. Potential destinations for Brogdon include the Heat, Bulls, Clippers, Toronto Raptors, Houston Rockets, and Minnesota Timberwolves. Williams III could potentially stay with the Trail Blazers, but the New Orleans Pelicans and Dallas Mavs are both keen on acquiring his services.
The Miami Heat were among the top contenders vying for Holiday in the trade market. Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics didn't dally too much before swiftly acquiring him for their team.
Currently, the Heat boast +1300 odds of retaining their Eastern Conference title. They rank fifth on the futures board.
Despite this, the Heat remain the top choice to win the Southeast Division at -180 odds. They're outstripping the Atlanta Hawks (+210), Orlando Magic (+800), Charlotte Hornets (+3500), and Washington Wizards (+15000) in the race. The Miami Heat are eyeing a third straight division trophy, and they've dominated the Southeast Division for nine out of the past 13 seasons.
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Source: www.casino.org
