The acquisition of Jrue Holiday has vaulted the Celtics back ahead of the Eastern Conference field of favorites. Vegas says so. Coaches and front office types from around the league say so.
Yet there is at least a pause in the hype train.
Holiday is precisely what Boston has needed, particularly after the club’s moves from earlier in the offseason. He is Marcus Smart with a higher boiling point, burning with the same defensive fire but far less likely to spike the collective blood pressure of Celtic Nation. And I say this as an unabashed Smart guy (if not a smart guy). Playing on the edge as he did, even his good shots could look bad, and his playmaking was terribly underrated.
But Holiday will be a good fit for his void. Sort of Marcus minus the technicals.
So when he became available after being shipped to Portland in the Damian Lillard deal, I fully understood the Celtics applying a full court press to get him in Green. Yet there is wonder about the cost — one particular aspect of it anyway.
Will giving up Robert Williams come back to bite the Bostonians?
Robert Williams: Impact & Injuries
The Timelord turns just 26 on October 17 (Chris Forsberg had already ordered the cake), and as he’s grown into his 6-foot-9 frame, he was able to prepare with perhaps his first truly healthy summer. So injury concerns weren’t part of the Celtic willingness to move him, as was the case with Isaiah Thomas in 2017, though the C’s would have done that deal for Kyrie Irving no matter IT’s state.
Holiday may be the key to getting the ball out of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown’s as dribblers and into their hands more as finishers. He may be the ingredient that completes the cocktail. If so — if the Celtics are cruising down Boylston Street in duck boats next June — the price of the deal will be fairly reckoned.
But letting go of Williams is still a gamble of sorts.
Injuries have made him a frustratingly inconsistent presence over his five years in the league, but his impact has rarely wavered when he is on the floor. His greatest value may be in forgiving the sins of others. Beyond his shot-blocking, Williams would be a lock among league leaders if the NBA ever created a category for scares. When a teammate loses touch with his man, Williams is invariably around to alter the ensuing shot.
At the other end of the floor, his lob threat makes him a convenient bailout for mates who drive into traffic. Timelord shot 74.7 percent from the floor last season, and with three offensive rebounds per game, he extended possessions. His Celtic friends also loved him because the ball never stuck in his hands after receiving a pass.
Albeit in limited time on the stage, the dude showed game-changing skills. And with a contract that pays him a relatively modest $11.6 million this year, $12.4 next and 13.3 the season after, he is a risk well worth the potential reward.
Bye-Bye Celtics’ Double-Bigs?
The other part of having Williams, Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis on the roster is that it allowed the Celtics to play a two-bigs lineup more regularly, and such a set has ancillary benefits. One of the best aspects of bringing Horford back two years ago was the effect on the Jays. Tatum was matched more with small forwards, while Brown moved over to deal with guards. It led to size advantages and defensive switchability that helped the Celts to the NBA Finals.
Without as much time for the double-bigs in 2022-23, a little something was lost — particularly on defense.
What’s lost now is some critical depth among the tall people. Sources tell Heavy Sports that including Williams was the only way to get the deal done with the Trail Blazers alone, leaving us to wonder whether the bidding for Holiday didn’t leave enough time to find a third team to complete the transaction without him.
“Boston’s going to miss what Rob gave them,” said one Eastern Conference front office source. “And if Al or Porzingis ever gets hurt, holy s***… that could be a real mess in a hurry. But as it stands now, Boston’s clearly the team to beat, no doubt about that.
“The funny thing with Rob is that he may not make them look bad for doing this, at least not right away. With how Portland’s rebuilding and going through changes, it might be hard for him to get a consistent structure and find a groove.
“And,” he added with a laugh, “playing way out there with how little they’re going to be on TV, most people are going to be asleep when he’s playing.”
The question is whether the Celtics will wake up one day wishing they had found another way to reel in Holiday.
“Yeah, that’s a tough one,” said another league source. “If Williams can stay on the floor, he’s a monster. They pay big men twice and maybe three times as much as he’s getting for what he can do. But he’s got to be out there.
“I respect Brad [Stevens, the Celtics’ head of basketball operations] for pushing his chips in, but he gave up a lot. [Malcolm] Brogdon gave them a good year, and Williams made them a different team when he was on the floor.
“But Holiday is so f****** reliable — on and off the floor; he’ll make sure this trade looks good for them.”
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Timelord Was a Steep Price for Celtics’ Holiday Bonanza