Celtics reportedly trade Jrue Holiday to Blazers for Anfernee Simons, two picks

The first domino of the Celtics offseason roster retool fell late Monday night Boston traded guard Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers for guard Anfernee Simons and two second-round draft picks according to a statement from ESPN s Shams Charania Holiday who turned earlier this month and has three years and more than million remaining on his contract was viewed as one of the Celtics the bulk logical offseason bargain candidates His arrival in from Portland which had acquired him from Milwaukee days earlier was a vital step in Boston s path to the NBA championship last season In his first season with the Celtics Holiday earned second-team All-Defensive honors shot a career-best from -point range and was one of Boston s top playoff performers The respected veteran s numbers declined across the board this past season while he battled injuries that sidelined him for regular-season games and two playoff games It was speculated that Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens whose gang must shed roughly million in salary this offseason if it hopes to avoid steep second-apron penalties might need to attach a draft pick in order to offload Holiday s hefty contract Instead he was able to fetch an impressive asset in Simons who just turned and put up solid numbers during his seven-year tenure with the Blazers Since becoming a full-time starter three years ago Simons has averaged points and assists per encounter while shooting from the field and from three He was drafted th overall out of high school in Advancing