Jrue Holiday vs Marcus Smart: Did the Celtics get better by changing their point guards?
On October 1, the Boston Celtics acquired Jrue Holiday via a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers. The veteran All-Star will help fill the void left by Marcus Smart, who was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies earlier this summer as part of the Kristaps Porzingis trade.
Holiday's arrival will help the Celtics fill the void left by the former Defensive Player of the Year, especially on the defensive side of the floor. Holiday is among the best perimeter and point-of-attack defenders in the NBA and has consistently proven himself at the highest levels.
Furthermore, Holiday is a better offensive player than Smart, which could mean the Celtics have upgraded their guard position by effectively swapping the two players, although Smart is four years younger.
From a statistical viewpoint, Holiday is a clear upgrade on both sides of the floor. Throughout his career, Smart averaged 10.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists, shooting 32.3% from 3-point range and 38.6% from the field. Last season, the Celtics were -1.8 points per 100 possessions worse with Smart on the floor than when he was on the bench.
Holiday's stats are a bit more encouraging. The veteran guard is averaging 16.4 points, 4.1 rebounds and 6.5 assists for his career, shooting 46.2% from the field and 36.6% from 3-point range. The Milwaukee Bucks have been consistently better with Holiday on the court, and last season were +7.6 points per 100 possessions (per Cleaning The Glass) during the minutes Holiday was on the court.
Did the Boston Celtics get better by adding Jrue Holiday
Jrue Holiday has been a consistent difference-maker for his teams. The veteran guard is consistently one of the most impactful members of his roster, providing scoring, secondary playmaking and elite defense. Holiday is also a better perimeter shooter than Marcus Smart.
By adding Holiday to a roster that boasts elite offensive talent in Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Kristaps Poringis, Boston has created a "big four" and is now seen as the favorite to win the 2024 NBA championship.
As such, it's clear the Boston Celtics have improved their roster, and a big part of those improvements has been adding a guard that can impact the game on both sides of the floor without needing multiple scoring attempts. Holiday is an all-around better player than Smart. However, Boston's decision to add the veteran hasn't come without risk.
Holiday is potentially in the final year of his current contract, with the 2024-25 season being a player option on his deal. As such, the Celtics must secure a contract extension with Holiday before we can say the team got better long-term. Otherwise, the move was made with immediate success in mind, and that has never been Brad Stevens' modus operandi.