10 Boston Celtics-centric thoughts after the Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis deals

The first and second dominos have fallen.

The Celtics kicked off what will likely be a busy few weeks by trading Jrue Holiday to the Blazers in exchange for Anfernee Simons and two second-round picks.

Then they dealt Kristaps Porzingis and a second-round pick to the Hawks and acquired Georges Niang and a second-rounder as part of a three-team deal.

In a perfect world, the Celtics would have kept Holiday and Porzingis for several more years. The reality, however, is that it wasn’t feasible. I wouldn’t argue with you if you gave these trades an A or a C, but I personally give the Holiday one a B+ and the Porzingis one a B from Boston’s perspective.

With that in mind, here are 10 thoughts on the trades and the state of the team moving forward.

1. A moment for the Holiday and Derrick White backcourt.

Not to be a downer, but there’s a pretty solid chance you’re never going to enjoy watching another Celtics backcourt as much as you liked watching Holiday and Derrick White.

Their styles meshed perfectly, they made each other better and they had a knack for providing exactly what the game needed in tandem.

It seems pretty likely White is staying in Boston, but Holiday will be missed.

2. Holiday is the ultimate stabilizer.

The bigger the moment, the more likely it is Holiday will leave his imprint.

The term “missing piece” is thrown around a lot in sports, but that’s exactly what he was. His poise and attention to detail turned a great team into an invincible one. Without Holiday, there’s almost certainly no Banner 18.

You can’t really replace a guy like that. His time in Boston was short, but it was incredibly meaningful. He represented the franchise the right way and was the ultimate teammate.

3. It should give White even more of a key role.

It’s not all bleak. With Holiday out of the picture, White will have the ball in his hands even more. That’s a good thing.

White played some of his best basketball last year, and it’s fair to expect an even better season from him this year. His shooting splits may go down a bit, but his numbers should go up.

It would be fun to see him as the definitive second or third option on a nightly basis, as opposed to just some games.

4. What about this Simons guy?

Simons can hoop. Two years ago, he averaged 22.6 points, 5.5 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game, while shooting 38.5 percent from 3-point range and 91.6 percent from the line.

He’s a shifty, scrappy and highly skilled player who just turned 26 and is still getting better. Simons will help them stay competitive with Jayson Tatum out, then once Tatum is back, they can reassess and decide whether it’s worth keeping Simons long term.

He fits in stylistically and can give you 20 or so a night and hit tough shots in crunch time. Tommy Heinsohn would like Simons because he plays downhill, looks to run and is always in attack mode.

This nugget from statistician Dick Lipe is illuminating.

5. Simons also has crazy hops, but defense is a legit question mark.

Don’t let his size (6’3) fool you…Simons is one of the best dunkers in the league.

Yes, it’s true, he won the 2021 NBA Slam Dunk Contest. No, it wasn’t the best dunk contest of all-time, but he had some pretty solid ones individually. He may posterize the opponent from time to time out of nowhere.

Simons is a subpar defender, but he certainly has the talent and athleticism to grow in that area.

Sometimes playing on a bad team brings out players’ worst tendencies, and playing on a good team often brings out the best in that same player. He’ll probably never make an all-defensive team, but it’s more likely than not he’ll improve in that area playing in Boston.

6. Porzingis gave everything he had for this city.

There’s never been a player I’ve changed my view on more from before his time with the Celtics to the end of his time with the Celtics.

Porzgingis’ energy is infectious. He brings out the best in those around him, is one of the best 7-foot shooters of all-time and has serious heart. It was a short stint, filled with some expected up and downs injury-wise, but a wonderful one nonetheless.

He’s the ultimate teammate, will do anything for his people and is a true winner. There’s likely no Banner 18 without him.

7. Could this mean more Luke Kornet moving forward?

Don’t be surprised to see Luke Kornet log 25 to 30 minutes a night next year. He’s always been solid, but he really hit another level last year and appears to at home in Boston.

It seems likely Al Horford will stay as well, but it’s hard to guarantee anything at this point. Or this could simply be two small moves leading to a much, much bigger one. It’s all a guessing game.

8. It’s a homecoming for Georges Niang.

Lawrence’s own, George “Bang Bang” Niang, is coming home to play for the Celtics.

Niang has shot 40 percent or better from 3 each of the past few seasons. Don’t underestimate his stroke and Mazzulla Ball paired together. It could be pretty sweet.

I think Brown will like playing with him, and I think he’d mesh particularly well with Tatum. It’s possible he’ll be here just one season, or maybe even one day, but I think it’s a good fit.

It could also signify the end of Sam Hauser’s time in Boston, but we shall see.

9. Where are they now, and where do they go from here?

The Celtics should probably target wings and bigs from here on out. Anyone could be traded at any moment, but White, Simons, Payton Pritchard, Baylor Scheierman and JD Davison should fill the five guard spots nicely.

It’s hard to imagine the Celtics contending for a title without Tatum, and it’s hard to imagine them falling off a cliff with Brown still on the roster.

Somewhere around 46-36 and the 4 or 5-seed with this current team feels about right. With that said, they’re almost certainly not done. It will be interesting to see if Brad Stevens tries to go all in without Tatum or if he takes a more big-picture approach and hits the pause button for a year. My guess is somewhere in the middle.

10. Change can be hard.

I’ve said it before, but I really hope you still cherish that 2024 title. Obviously the goal is to win another, and I bet they will get one more at some point, but it seems pretty unlikely it will be this coming season.

That’s OK. Enjoy the ride, appreciate the wins and keep supporting the team you love. The Celtics may not be a wagon next year, but they’ll still almost definitely be fun to watch and in the mix.