A recent trade affecting fantasy basketball involves veteran point guard Jrue Holiday being moved from Boston to Portland. The deal, concluded late Monday, sent Holiday to the Trail Blazers in exchange for Anfernee Simons and two second-round draft picks.
Let`s explore how this trade impacts their fantasy basketball value for the upcoming season.
Simons in Boston
Simons, aged 26, averaged 15.0 points per game over his seven seasons in Portland. He now joins the Celtics, a team that strongly emphasizes three-point shooting. A career 38.1% shooter from deep, Simons has averaged at least 7.8 three-point attempts per game in each of the past four seasons.
After achieving a career-high 22.6 PPG in 2023-24, his scoring slightly decreased to 19.3 PPG last season. He now joins a team potentially missing Jayson Tatum, who suffered an Achilles injury that could sideline him for the entire next season. Despite the 6-foot-3 swingman`s history of injuries, Simons played a career-high 70 games last season and is expected to take on a high-usage role in Boston. However, his limited defensive stats (a career 0.5 SPG) could still constrain his overall fantasy value.
Even with an anticipated increase in usage, he is likely projected as a late-round fantasy pick unless multiple Celtics starters face extended absences. Simons sees a short-term boost in value but remains a fringe fantasy option.
Holiday in Portland
Holiday joins Portland as the latest veteran added to their rebuilding roster, though this time he might remain with the team. Despite posting his lowest scoring average (11.1 PPG) since his rookie year in 2009-10 with Philadelphia, he still provides competent three-point shooting (1.7 3PG last season) and strong defense (1.1 SPG in 2024-25).
From a fantasy standpoint, his value hinges on his usage rate. With Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe occupying backcourt minutes, Holiday might not receive enough playmaking chances to be more than a low-end streaming option in most leagues. However, his presence positively impacts others, especially Deni Avdija, who is expected to have increased offensive responsibilities. Avdija`s strong finish last season positions him as a notable winner from this trade.
While Holiday can enhance team defense, the 35-year-old veteran possesses limited fantasy upside at this stage of his extended career. Fantasy managers should target Deni Avdija and closely watch the minutes given to Portland`s young core.
