In a recent development with notable fantasy basketball consequences, veteran point guard Jrue Holiday was involved in a trade, moving from Boston to Portland late Monday. The exchange involved sending guard Anfernee Simons along with two future second-round draft picks to the Boston Celtics in return for Holiday.
Let`s delve into how this trade is expected to influence the fantasy basketball value of both players for the upcoming season.
Anfernee Simons in Boston
Simons, a 26-year-old guard, averaged 15.0 points per game over his seven seasons playing for the Portland Trail Blazers. His transition to the Celtics places him within an offensive scheme that places a significant emphasis on 3-point shooting. Simons boasts a career accuracy of 38.1% from long range and has consistently attempted a high volume of three-pointers, launching at least 7.8 per contest in each of the past four seasons.
After achieving a career-best scoring average of 22.6 points per game in the 2023-24 season, his scoring dipped slightly to 19.3 points per game last season. He now joins a Boston team potentially facing the absence of star player Jayson Tatum, who suffered an Achilles injury that could sideline him for the entirety of next season. While Simons has encountered injury issues throughout his NBA career, he managed to play a career-high 70 games last season and is positioned for a potentially increased usage rate within the Celtics` offense. However, his limited defensive production (a career average of just 0.5 steals per game) might continue to cap his overall fantasy upside.
Even with the possibility of increased offensive usage, Simons likely profiles as a late-round fantasy draft selection unless other key Celtics starters face extended periods on the sidelines. While he gains some short-term fantasy benefit from the new situation, he remains a somewhat marginal fantasy option in standard leagues.
Jrue Holiday in Portland
Jrue Holiday arrives in Portland as the latest veteran addition to a roster primarily focused on rebuilding. Unlike some veteran acquisitions by developing teams, there is a chance Holiday could remain with the Trail Blazers. Although Holiday`s scoring average of 11.1 points per game last season was his lowest since his rookie year with Philadelphia back in the 2009-10 season, he still demonstrates proficiency as a 3-point shooter (averaging 1.7 made threes per game last season) and remains a solid defensive contributor (recording 1.1 steals per game in the 2024-25 season).
From a fantasy perspective, Holiday`s value will be significantly tied to his role and usage rate in Portland. With young guards like Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe also expected to command backcourt minutes, Holiday may not receive enough playmaking or scoring opportunities to elevate beyond a low-end streaming option in most fantasy formats. Nevertheless, his presence is anticipated to positively impact certain teammates, particularly Deni Avdija. Avdija is expected to see an increase in offensive responsibility and, based on his strong finish to last season, appears to be the most significant fantasy beneficiary of this trade.
While Holiday`s defensive prowess can benefit the team, the 35-year-old guard possesses limited upside in standard fantasy leagues at this stage of his extensive career. Fantasy managers should look to potentially target Deni Avdija and closely monitor the allocation of minutes among Portland`s emerging young backcourt players.
