A significant recent NBA trade saw veteran guard Jrue Holiday move from the Boston Celtics to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Anfernee Simons and draft compensation. This transaction has notable implications for fantasy basketball managers assessing the values of both players for the upcoming season. Let`s examine how this trade impacts their fantasy outlooks.
Simons in Boston
Anfernee Simons, 26, spent seven seasons in Portland, averaging 15.0 points per game. He now joins a Celtics team known for high-volume 3-point shooting. Simons is a career 38.1% shooter from beyond the arc, attempting at least 7.8 threes per game over the last four seasons. After a career-high 22.6 PPG in 2023-24, his scoring dropped slightly to 19.3 PPG last season.
He arrives in Boston shortly after Jayson Tatum suffered an Achilles injury potentially sidelining him for the entire next season. While Simons has had injury concerns throughout his career, he played a career-best 70 games last season and is expected to take on a significant offensive role for the Celtics. However, his limited defensive contributions (0.5 steals per game career average) could cap his overall fantasy ceiling.
Despite a probable increase in offensive usage, Simons is likely best viewed as a late-round fantasy pick unless Boston faces significant extended absences from other key starters. He gains some immediate fantasy relevance but remains a borderline fantasy asset.
Holiday in Portland
Jrue Holiday, 35, becomes the latest veteran addition to Portland`s rebuilding squad, although he might stay with the team rather than being rerouted. Last season, Holiday posted his lowest scoring average (11.1 PPG) since his rookie year in 2009-10. Despite this, he remains an effective 3-point shooter (1.7 3PG last season) and a solid defender (1.1 SPG in 2024-25).
From a fantasy perspective, Holiday`s value hinges on his role and usage. With young guards Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe already in the backcourt, Holiday might not receive sufficient ball-handling or playmaking opportunities to elevate beyond a low-end streaming option in most fantasy leagues. However, his arrival could positively impact other players, particularly Deni Avdija, who is anticipated to take on greater offensive responsibility. Avdija`s strong finish last season positions him as potentially the biggest fantasy beneficiary of this trade.
While Holiday brings valuable defense to the Blazers, the 35-year-old possesses limited fantasy ceiling at this stage of his long career. Fantasy managers should prioritize targeting Avdija and closely monitor the playing time distribution among Portland`s developing young core.
