Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown shared the late stages of the summer together in Los Angeles before returning to Auerbach Center earlier this month. They worked out alongside Tatum's trainer Drew Hanlen, and aligned on an emphasis that Brown reintroduced in July at the press conference for his record extension. During last year's playoffs, numerous Celtics players referred to the team losing its defensive identity and needing to focus on that side of the ball as they had during their 2022 NBA Finals run. It led to a brief return to double-big lineups to comeback against Philadelphia, then both of the Celtics' stars carried that message into the offseason.
"I think what Kristaps can bring to us defensively, in addition to what some of our other guys can bring to us defensively, I want to make sure that's where we hang our hats this year," Brown said in July. "That starts with me, that starts with Jayson, that starts with Rob (Williams). With Marcus (Smart) gone, we don’t want our defensive identity to go out the door as well. So we’ve gotta really emphasize that at the start of training camp.”
Tatum later told the Messenger, in an interview primarily focused on the team's changes and his long-term aspirations, that he aims to make an NBA All-Defensive Team this season. Brown shared the same goal in an Instagram post, setting up both players to focus on defending to their potential in the middle of ginormous lineups that have the chance to return to the top of the league's defenses. Brown and Tatum took steps back from past success on that end in 2023, and while Boston statistically finished as the No. 2 defense during the regular season, the Celtics fell to 10th out of 16 teams in the playoffs in defensive rating.
Players pointed to Williams' absence early in the year as a primary reason for the team's slow start on that end, but inconsistency festered throughout with a common thread of few forced turnovers (T-25th) and poor isolation defense (23rd). Excelling in those two areas (13th in opp. TOV, 1st in iso. def.) drove the team's historic unit the year before, reaching a crescendo in the team's first-round sweep of the Nets where Williams III had just returned from meniscus surgery. The following training camp, Joe Mazzulla replaced Ime Udoka and emphasized offense throughout camp following the team's meltdown on that end in the Finals. Boston began the season with a smaller lineup with Al Horford back at center. Lagging individual efforts by Brown, Tatum and Smart also played a factor as the three most constant players on the floor. The tenant of Udoka's switching scheme, which also faded slightly last season, relied on every player holding their ground. If someone failed to do so -- they encouraged collective accountability. You could call teammates out. Mazzulla downplayed his team's early defensive struggles.
“They have size, length all over the floor,” Steve Nash said in 2022. “Then they can put their rim protector on the lesser offensive perimeter player and be able to roam. We’ve seen other teams do it to great effect and, especially when you’re missing certain guys that can really eat up space offensively, it can be extremely effective. So it’s a great challenge for us to continue to play with pace, continue to move the ball, to not hold it where they can really load up, zone up and allow him to protect larger areas. We’ve got to get them on the move, including him and make him guard multiple actions so it’s not him just sitting there reading an easy block."
The Celtics addressed that personnel deficiency by adding a 7-3 shot blocker in Kristaps Porziņģis, who can fit the team's drop scheme while retaining Williams III's help defense and Horford's ability to guard pick-and-rolls at the level. White, an all-defensive star who excels navigating screens, will play in Smart's role. The team lost strength at that position, but should fare well with White's quickness, length and active hands funneling ball-handlers into the drop. The Celtics now aim to cover ground rather than a range of positions in their defensive scheme under Mazzulla. They might even play some zone if they follow the Summer League team's lead.
The individual efforts from the team's best players will always matter though, and if Tatum and Brown lapse through the doldrums of the regular season, that's the tone teammates will follow. Boston played poor, disconnected defense in some astonishing losses to teams like the Thunder, Magic, Pacers and Wizards. Tatum later explained how tough getting up for those games proved after playing the Finals the year before. Tatum finished 136th in 538's RAPTOR rating, leaning toward a negative impact (-0.3) while Brown effectively had the same season as the 100th-ranked defender in the rating (+0.3), the slight difference a product of lineup combinations. Both players created 75 steals, slightly up from their combined total the year prior, but opponents shot 46.2% against Brown and 47.3% against Tatum. Tatum and Brown finished 55th (+1.6) and 78th (+1.0) in the 2022 DRAPTOR rankings.
Tatum had shut down his assignments to 42.8% shooting in 2022, while Brown managed 45.6%. Tatum fared better in isolation situations, while Brown allowed 1.14 points per possession in one-on-one situations that ended in a shot or turnover, up from 0.95 PPP the year prior and one of the worst marks in the league.
Malcolm Brogdon and Smart finished with similarly poor numbers. Brogdon mentioned physicality and communication against ball screens as an issue during the team's early lull, and Boston finished the year tied for 15th with 0.91 PPP allowed to pick-and-roll ball handlers who mostly shot wide open mid-rangers. Low forced turnover numbers ensured they'd get shot attempts. Opposing shooters and offensive rebounders averaged more than 1.00 PPP against Boston in the playoffs.
"We've taken a few steps back, I think, in these playoffs overall," Brogdon said after the Celtics fell behind 0-3 to Miami. "I think in the Atlanta series, in the Philly series, I think we got away with things that now are biting us. That's definitely troubling. I think it's mainly on the defensive end, we haven't been consistently great defensively all year long. That was the team's identity all year. We've had spurts where we've been great defensively, but not consistently, and honestly, we've struggled in every series we've played."
Many of Tatum's defensive metrics, including defensive win shares and box plus-minus, stayed in line with his previous productions, but like his RAPTOR, his defensive impact fell closer to league average in Basketball Index's LEBRON score and expected plus-minus (+0.7). DARKO, more of a predictive model, saw both Tatum and Brown -- the latter never an advanced statistic darling -- point downward in their daily plus-minus defensive metrics, both in standard and box, which compares a player's impact relative to the NBA.
None of those assessments signified that either player fell off the map last year, but mild regression on the defensive end reflected the team's defensive inconsistency, whether in effort or execution. The Athletic reported players left huddles last year unsure of defensive coverages, and while new players joining the mix might've accounted for that some disruption in the scheme, Tatum's weak-side blocks and plays where he got low in a stance and ripped the ball from opponents happened less often visually.
While some of that could reasonably stem from carrying a larger offensive load, Udoka denied that excuse in 2022 and Tatum can offload ball-handling duties easier than sharing his exceptional length, height and strength on defense.
Brown's problem remains his off-ball awareness, losing cutters, missing switches and clearly failing to communicate through defensive plays. Boston's transition to a more switch-oriented scheme didn't work in Brown's favor, describing in the past how he prefers to lock into a matchup rather than shuffling through a variety of screens.
Brown's performances against Kevin Durant in the past stood out, while more recently the Celtics gave him the bulk of responsibility guarding James Harden during Boston's seven-game series against Philadelphia this spring. He spent 42 minutes covering Harden, limiting him to 7-for-22 shooting and 24 points. Gabe Vincent, an off-ball threat, went on to score 27 points against Brown in the east finals in nearly half that time. If he wants to make an All-Defensive team, it's on him to clean up that massive weakness in his game.
"It's who we are, it's who we've been, play both sides of the ball," Brown said in 2022. "When you step on that court, you've gotta bring it on both sides of the ball. It sends messages to everybody ... whoever's coming into the game, we hold each other accountable on that end, and obviously, me and Jayson, being here for a large majority of the time ... if we're doing it, everybody gotta do it."
Last season provided a wake-up call that warrants optimism he'll do so entering 2023-24. Brown and Tatum stressing that side of the ball as an emphasis shows the growth of their voices in terms of setting priorities into a new season, whereas Udoka needed to set that tone in 2021 after a disastrous final season on defense under Brad Stevens.
Mazzulla will get on board too, admitting after Game 3 in Miami that the team lost its defensive identity after defending the team's play on that end of much of the season. His philosophies made sense, emphasizing turnovers, rebounding and limited fouling (which happened) while controlling the shot total battle to give the Celtics an edge on the margins that can account for fluctuations in shooting efficiency. He stressed setting the table for the defense with decisions the team made offensively. The team managed those margins less effectively in the playoffs.
"You just have to commit to it daily, you have talk about it, but at the same time, we've had multiple systems," Mazzulla said in July. "This team and this organization has always been built on defense. A few years ago, when we played double-big, there was a lot of maintaining and a physical way to play when Ime came, and last year we were able to do some switching. So I think we have an opportunity to blend both of them, to where we're able to maintain our system and do some of the things that we did well for a majority of the season, and then just kind of reinvent and find small ways that adhere to our roster. We'll play a little more double-big probably and with that, we'll do some different stuff."
Boston's defensive effort clearly waned during off shooting nights too, and when easy baskets came in droves in their own end, the Celtics couldn't shake some of their more stagnant offensive tendencies. Three-point shooting disappeared late in the playoffs, and Boston didn't flash any counters. Brown and Tatum realized their best season occurred when the team expended all of its energy on the defensive end, because that's the special trait they hold over most opposing teams, now featuring three menacing defensive big men, versatile forwards and a returning all-defensive guard in White.
Every offseason addition brought defensive attributes, length and even some zone experience in Oshae Brissett and Dalano Banton's cases. The personnel in place should better fit Mazzulla's preferred style, dropping, covering space and making opponents take the worst shot, while Boston's front office entered the summer prioritizing regaining the defense's past disruptiveness, forcing turnovers at 2022 levels. It starts with Brown and Tatum, who enter the season stating goals they didn't come close to achieving in 2023 -- expecting their defense would simply flip a switch.
"Ball pressure. We allow guys to be a little too comfortable at times," Tatum said in May. "I don't really pay too much attention to the rankings, 11th in defense, because that s*** might be one transition bucket per game. It's not a huge gap. We definitely can be better, sometimes we give up too many offensive rebounds, and that hurts us with second and third-chance opportunities. I think it's all about picking up our pressure and trying to make people uncomfortable, because when people are comfortable, everyone's talented and they feel a little more free out there."
Here's what else happened around the NBA this week...
Boston: Reportedly among numerous teams interested in Trail Blazers guard Jrue Holiday after the Bucks dealt him for Damian Lillard this week. Holiday's $37-million contract will need an extension, as high as $50-million to start, and matching his salary in a trade would likely require trading Malcolm Brogdon and one of Robert Williams and Al Horford, unless Portland would accept five smaller contracts from the Celtics with Brogdon. Brogdon begins camp fully recovered from his east finals elbow injury, as does Kristaps Porziņģis, who scrimmaged for the first time since his shutdown with plantar fasciitis six weeks ago.
As for Brogdon, who's back in Boston and ready for camp according to the Boston Globe, Brad Stevens admitted the guard grew upset in response to his near trade to the Clippers in June, and the organization worked in recent weeks to increase dialogue and smooth over their relationship. The Athletic and others reported Boston continued to shop Brogdon following the Clippers deal falling apart, and if LA would circle back on a deal it's worth wondering if the Celtics and Brogdon would rather part ways now. Boston waived training camp signings Taylor Funk, Jordan Schakel and Brandon Slater. Lamar Stevens, signed to an Exhibit 9 contract according to Keith Smith, will try out for the team's last roster spot with little competition, but no guarantee.
Brooklyn: Ben Simmons will fully participate when Nets training camp begins this week, setting up an anticipated return to the floor after fully addressing his back and mental ailments that derailed his career beginning in 2021 before his trade to the Nets from the 76ers. Simmons previewed his season in an interesting interview with Andscape, and while optimism for improvement led to disappointment in the recent past, his descriptions of his health decline last season reflected how unathletic he appeared on the floor. Brooklyn head coach Jacque Vaughn set expectations high for Simmons, but the team plans tentatively to play him at point guard with Nic Claxton at center. Without any plans to expand his game to three-point range, that's a question. The Nets also reportedly landed alongside the Bucks as alternative options for Lillard once the Heat no longer became an option on the verge of camp.
"I think at that time I was at a place where as a coach I'm always gonna have a standard, and that standard is of what I expect guys on the team to do, how we want them to play and ask them to do things for the sake of the team," Vaughn said. "I think Ben's and I's relationship is in such a good place right now because we've been able to talk through that moment of our lives where I expected him to do things that I've come to understand that physically he wasn't able to do."
Charlotte: Head coach Steve Clifford said Cody Martin will be limited to start training camp. Bryce McGowens sprained his ankle, and will miss time. Second-year center Mark Williams, their player to watch, is healed from his thumb injury and will be able to practice. He didn't comment on Kai Jones, whose bizarre social media behavior turned heads recently. Clifford said the matter will be handled internally. The team signed Theo Maledon, a former top guard prospect from France, and Edmond Sumner, who played well for the Nets in a reserve role last season.
Chicago: In the mix for Holiday, which raises questions about how far the Bulls would go to shake up their back court, including Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso ahead of training camp. Holiday probably doesn't fit given his need to sign a long-term deal, unless a notoriously stingy franchise splurges on his next contract. DeRozan called for more help from the coaching staff this season, while denouncing calls for the franchise to blow it up after missing the playoffs last year. Their core will try desperately to gel without Lonzo Ball (knee), who won't play again this season.
“We made a lot of mistakes,” DeRozan said. “It’s not only on the players, but the coaching staff as well to be able to correct the mistakes that we have because we weren’t far off at all with the mistakes that we’ve had.”
Cleveland: J.B. Bickerstaff addressed Donovan Mitchell's uncertain future with the Cavaliers and the need to prove Cleveland can become his long-term home entering the final two seasons of his contract and extension eligibility this fall, when he isn't expected to sign for now. Bickerstaff told NBA.com the team's offense will evolve with off-ball shooting additions and balance top-five offensive with top-five defensive play, even they aren't No. 1.
"Two years ago, we were predicated on a ton of ball movement and body movement. We’re going to try to get back to that, where everybody is moving more, the ball is moving more. Then he gets an opportunity after the defense has shifted to go do what he does best," he said. "It’s going to be asking everybody to be a little more dynamic, to be a little harder to find. When you’re chasing an elite player like Donovan, he’s got the advantage automatically. Now he’s just got to make the play."
Dallas: Grant Williams praised Kyrie Irving and the early culture forming at Mavericks camp in his introduction following the sign-and-trade that landed him in Dallas this offseason on a four-year deal. He said Irving's perception from the outside, leaving Boston the year before he arrived in the 2019 draft, differs from how he's grown to know a great teammate. Williams wants to build a defensive mindset for the Mavs, who he already saw master the offensive end, striving for the execution Boston achieved against the Nets in their 2022 first-round sweep over Irving's Nets. He reached out to Irving and Luka Dončić to see if they needed him.
Irving also expressed optimism about his fit with Dončić, chalking up their issues last year to the limited time they spent on the floor together after his deadline arrival. Irving also said he wished the Mavs drafted him in 2011, re-signing with them this summer on a max deal. The Mavs will play Minnesota twice in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates later this week, before an exhibition against Dončić's former club, Real Madrid, in Spain.
"Kyrie did a phenomenal job of communicating with me and understanding the role and opportunity that was there for me," Williams said. "It's funny, whenever someone talks about Kyrie, I never see that side. How people describe him. He's been a phenomenal person, a phenomenal teammate for me for a long time, not just here, but when he was on the union, he communicated very well as well ... (Irving and Dončić) are a big part of why I'm here."
Golden State: Could pursue Holiday in a deal that would involve Chris Paul going to the Trail Blazers, a remarkable third team this summer for the future hall-of-famer. Given the balancing act Steve Kerr already assumed in assessing Paul's role on the team, with reports indicating he'll start despite the Warriors' main five players thriving last year, this provides an easy out from Paul's fit concerns after the team traded Jordan Poole for him to get off his contract and separate Poole from Draymond Green following the infamous punch. Pouring more picks into fixing that problem with an expensive guard could prove too expensive for Joe Lacob's taste after he tried pivoting the team in a cheaper direction and new CBA rules explicitly target teams like the Warriors. Boston also owns Golden State's first-round pick this year with protections stretching through 2026, which would force the Warriors to unprotect it to free up additional picks to send Portland in a hypothetical deal. The Blazers would love landing Paul, who they could probably flip for more picks.
Indiana: A sneaky contender for Holiday given their array of contracts like Buddy Hield's and the need for another defensive cornerstone on the wing next to Tyrese Haliburton. They can afford to pay him too on a relatively cheap roster, while contracts like Daniel Theis and TJ McConnell could turn into additional assets for Portland in a manner similar to the Paul deal described above. News of the Suns' interest in McConnell surfaced again this week, while the Pacers signed veteran guard Elfrid Payton to a deal ahead of training camp.
Clippers: The NBA suspended former Spurs guard Josh Primo on Friday morning before the Clippers signed him to a two-year deal following his year-long hiatus from the league. San Antonio waived the 20-year-old guard entering the third year of his rookie contract following accusations emerging from a team psychiatrist that Primo exposed himself to her multiple times, something Primo's lawyer denied he did intentionally. The NBA investigated and found that Primo "did not find evidence that he engaged in any sexual or other misconduct apart from these brief exposures." He alluded to needing mental health treatment for a previous trauma following his release in a statement. Primo settled a lawsuit by the former psychiatrist out of court.
The surprisingly short Primo suspension followed Miles Bridges returning to the Hornets with a time served suspension that he'll only serve 10 games of this season following alleged domestic violence against his girlfriend. The NBA is currently investigating Kevin Porter Jr. for a similar alleged crime, who remains a member of the Houston Rockets due to league rules.
The Clippers otherwise remain linked to James Harden, Jrue Holiday and Malcolm Brogdon in the days leading up to training camp to address their point guard position.
Lakers: Head coach Darvin Ham announced D'Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, LeBron James and Anthony Davis will start for the Lakers this season, with the fifth spot up for grabs among newcomers like Gabe Vincent, Taurean Prince and returning forwards Jarred Vanderbilt and Rui Hachimura. Jaxson Hayes and Christian Wood also joined the team as center options after Davis expressed an interest in moving away from the position again this summer. Dennis Schröder and Vanderbilt mostly filled that role last season, positioning Vincent as an intriguing small ball option next to his fellow guards. Starting games bigger in the regular season could prove the best bet for keeping Davis fresh and integrating the team's new big men. Davis will need to play as much center as possible, and hit jump shots again, to get the team where they want to go. Wood and Hayes aren't guarding Nikola Jokić.
Memphis: The Grizzlies expect to welcome Ja Morant back to the team and its facilities at some point before his 25-game suspension for appearing in a video waving a gun for the second time ends. It's unclear when that'll happen exactly, with Morant becoming more active in recent weeks on social media interacting with teammates. It's also unclear who will start with Dillon Brooks and Morant missing from last season's lineup. Marcus Smart will fill one of those spots, while Santi Aldama and Ziaire Williams will likely start training camp as the favorites to fill-in alongside Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Steven Adams. Brandon Clarke (achilles) remains far from return, while it's unclear exactly where Adams stands in his recovery from a knee injury that sidelined him for much of last season. Taylor Jenkins expressed hope he'd return in time for the preseason. Derrick Rose also quietly joined the mix alongside Smart as veteran statesmen for a relatively young team. They begin the preseason against the Pacers next Sunday.
Milwaukee/Miami: The Bucks shocked Miami and the rest of the NBA world by trading Jrue Holiday and the rights to three future first-round picks to Portland, and Grayson Allen to Phoenix in a three-team blockbuster that brought Damian Lillard to the Bucks in an answer to Giannis Antetokounmpo's calls in recent weeks to go all in on winning before he can recommit to Milwaukee. While financial timing might precent Antetokounmpo from re-signing until next year, Lillard arrives with three years left on his contract, making an exception to his one-city trade request to fit perfectly alongside Antetokounmpo and take pressure off his greatest weakness -- shooting. Lillard and Antetokounmpo should thrive as partners in the pick-and-roll, while the former MVP's presence in the paint alongside last season's defensive player of the year runner-up in Brook Lopez should minimize Lillard's defensive concerns. The move vaulted Milwaukee past Boston as championship favorites in the eyes of oddsmakers.
It also dealt a crushing blow to the Heat, who spent the summer confident Lillard would eventually force his way to the team he set his sights on from the start. He tried navigating there by committing to return to the Blazers while they worked on a deal, but dialogue had died between Miami and Portland long before that, along with the chance to turn back on Lillard's trade request. The Heat's offer centered around Tyler Herro and three first-round picks, with Kyle Lowry available as expiring salary and Nikola Jovic and Jaime Jaquez available as prospects. Herro never appealed to Portland and Holiday ultimately surpassed him as an asset, while clear contention between the two front offices now stands as a hurdle to Miami pivoting to Holiday. Other reporting indicated that the Blazers hoped to soak Miami of every last asset in a potential deal, something the Heat did not want to comply with.
Minnesota: Anthony Edwards recalled his Team USA experience playing under Steve Kerr before entering training camp, noting that Kerr coached him hard and did not hold back criticism. They had met years prior before the 2020 draft, when Kerr told Edwards he didn't work hard enough and eventually told him along with the Warriors' brass that Golden State would not have selected him if they received the No. 1 overall pick. The Warriors didn't, taking James Wiseman in a mistake still hurting that franchise to this day, while Edward's presence at the top spot continues to give the Wolves hope despite their own management mistakes. Kerr's tone shifted during the summer after Edward's breakout performance in an exhibition against Germany, calling Edwards the guy. Edwards recounted how the Warriors' criticism took his workout routine to another level, along with seeing Golden State's habits.
"I thought I was working hard," Edwards said. "When he came, I was going through drills and he kept stopping them, like, 'That's all you got? That's all you got?' And I'm like, 'Bruh, I'm going hard as you want me to go. What you want me to do? I'm sweating crazy,' ... he's like, 'Man, you've got to see Steph [Curry], (Kevin Durant) and Klay [Thompson] work out. They still was continuously telling me, 'You didn't work hard enough. If we had the No. 1 pick, we wouldn't take you.' And I was just like, 'Damn, that's crazy.'"
New Orleans: Jose Alvarado (ankle), Larry Nance Jr. (ankle) and Trey Murphy III (meniscus surgery) won't participate in the start of training camp, as Alvarado and Nance need several more weeks and Murphy's recovery after his surgery earlier this month projected to last 10-12 weeks. Fortunately, Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram start the preseason in good health, the most important factor in the team's ability to contend in the west. They'll need help though, and while rookie shooter Jordan Hawkins arrived in the draft and CJ McCollum remains, this is a group that should consider bringing Holiday back to New Orleans with their array of future draft picks. He'd set an intriguing tone along the perimeter with Herb Jones, and could lead the offense while letting McCollum shoot off-ball. Reports haven't yet officially linked the team with Portland, but the teams previously completed the McCollum trade, a good one for both sides.
New York: Loosely connected to the Holiday blockbuster so far and could make a deal happen by offloading some of their many future first-round picks along with Evan Fournier's expiring salary. The Knicks might want to maintain all their assets for their eventual pursuit of greater stars at other positions like Donovan Mitchell and Joel Embiid, since Jalen Brunson already thrived as the team's point guard. If they could acquire him for the right price though, they'd further pull from east competitors like Philadelphia and Boston while setting themselves up as a more desirable team for those stars to go to when they do decide to move on from their current teams. Holiday also plays on a one-year deal, maintaining some flexibility, while his defensive style would fit well on a Tom Thibodeau team next to Brunson, a shorter, more vulnerable player on that side of the ball. They're definitely a great fit for him.
Oklahoma City: Sam Presti gave his traditional, sprawling preseason interview to reporters where he addressed the direction of the team, emphasizing caution as they enter this season playing with one of the league's reigning best players in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the first time since the team traded Russell Westbrook and Paul George last decade. The Thunder have pieces to make aggressive moves and contend sooner than this roster currently appears capable of, but Presti wants to see what they have in numerous prospects on the roster like Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams entering year two. The timing might work for that approach and he believes those players could become the stars they'd be searching for in trade pursuits. Each year sees Oklahoma City's mountain of picks expire though, forcing them to kick back selections to the future or trade back.
That roster crunch will turn into paydays in time, Gilgeous-Alexander already becoming a max player, while a loaded roster still needs to make three cuts before opening night that won't prove easy. One of those cuts will be Victor Oladipo, Presti announced, who's recovering from a patella injury suffered in April with the Heat. Cason Wallace and Keyontae Johnson joined the group's mix of top prospects who dropped 150 points on Boston's head at home without Holmgren, who missed all of last year with an ankle injury, and showed flashes of brilliance. They'll move with caution while integrating Holmgren.
"You can't buy the paint for your house that you haven't bought yet," Presti said. "You don't know wherethe house is. ... You don't know what style it is. You don't know how much paint you'll need. We don't really know what we have right now. I think this is part of the headwinds that you face as a young team. I wouldn't want to cash in to become average or above average."
Orlando: Another team worth watching in the Holiday race that hasn't generated much attention or reporting of their interest. The Magic feel overdue to consolidate some of their younger players and larger contracts into an impact veteran. Holiday won't transform this team into a contender, but he's the kind of addition that could push them across the playoff line in the east. Markelle Fultz' contract expires next summer, as does veteran Gary Harris, who Portland could flip. Cole Anthony, Chuma Okeke or even Jalen Suggs could appeal to the Blazers as better young prospects than any of the aforementioned contenders could offer and Magic draft picks would carry as much if not more than those offered by the good teams. Keep an eye out.
Philadelphia: Should be considered favorites to land Holiday given the outstanding James Harden situation and the Clippers' past interest in acquiring the star, who demanded a trade from Philadelphia earlier this summer. The 76ers shut down Harden trade talks and the ones they had with LA didn't seem to go far. That could change if they're attaching future draft picks with him, in which case Portland could take on contracts like Marcus Morris and Amir Coffey that wouldn't otherwise appeal to Philadelphia, the Clippers can keep Terance Mann and the Sixers add a point guard in Holiday who fits alongside Tyrese Maxey and reasonably replaces Harden. It's unclear how Harden would fit in with a bunch of ball-handlers in LA, specifically his former teammate Russell Westbrook, but that's not the Sixers' problem. From a Celtics perspective, the positive is it would end any chance Harden and Joel Embiid reunite for another strong run that pushed Boston to the brink in the second round. The downside -- Holiday might fit better with Nick Nurse.
Phoenix: The Suns snuck in to facilitate the Lillard trade by sending Deandre Ayton to Portland, ending the last few tumultuous years with the Suns for the former No. 1 pick who signed a max offer sheet with the Pacers last summer. Jusuf Nurkić went to Phoenix, a contract the Blazers hoped to move alongside Lillard when the star made his trade demand earlier this summer. That improves Phoenix' rebounding and offense, Nurkić shooting and passing well from the high post while providing bruising muscle in the post. He also has played only 153 games over the past three season and probably amounts to a downgrade defensively from Ayton at his best. That's what frustrated the Suns though -- they never knew which Ayton they'd get night-to-night, and if that extra salary they unloaded in their former center turns into a reliable fifth starter in Nassir Little, who also came over in the deal, the Suns might've solidified enough depth to reach the NBA Finals. It's no coincidence the Suns sought out Nikola Jokić's mentor and former teammate.
Portland: The Damian Lillard era ended on a sour note after the team declined to fulfill the star's request to play for the Miami Heat. Lillard reportedly offered two contingencies in Milwaukee and Brooklyn, allowing the deal to go through, but in a post-trade story from Chris Haynes expressed frustration with Blazers GM Joe Cronin, who did not welcome Lillard back to the team for training camp after he expressed interest in rejoining the team since no deal seemed likely with Miami before media day. Lillard said he returned the facility to prepare for a reunion while Cronin ignored him. The situation clearly grew toxic from every angle by the end, Lillard expressing thanks in a large goodbye to Portland that addressed everyone from media members to support staff. It did not thank Cronin, whose future now rests in Scoot Henderson, future Bucks picks and flipping Holiday for the best return.
Lillard played 11 season for the Trail Blazers, making seven all-star teams and six All-NBA teams, including leading the First Team in 2018. He became arguably the second-greatest distance shooter in basketball history behind Steph Curry, and pushed juggernauts like his Warriors despite Portland's roster limitations throughout the 2010s. Throughout, Lillard never expressed interest in joining other stars elsewhere. He's arguably the greatest player in franchise history, with only Clyde Drexler and Bill Walton rivaling his case. Portland received a 2029 first and 2028 and 2030 pick swap from the Bucks.
Sacramento: The first team reportedly out of the Holiday race. Sam Amick reported that the Kings will not pursue a trade for the defensive star with the Trail Blazers.
San Antonio: Will repeat a similar case made above for Orlando to pursue Holiday. Why not the Spurs? They hold valuable future picks and enough sizable contracts to get in on a guard who would fit perfectly next to Tre Jones and set up Victor Wembanyama. Rebuilding teams sometimes move too slowly in this league, and if Wembanyama ascends to the top of the league quickly they'll regret the roster they're entering this season with.
Toronto: The other loser in the Lillard trade alongside Miami, gaining hope that a combination of OG Anunoby, Gradey Dick and picks could pry Lillard from the Blazers while the Heat fell out of the race. It didn't prove sufficient, and with no desire to trade Scottie Barnes they enter the season with all the remaining uncertainty of Pascal Siakam's expiring contract alongside Anunoby's. This team doesn't look like it has enough to compete for a playoff spot, never mind an east title and a slow start under new coach Darko Rajaković could renew calls for a rebuild. If they wanted to compete this year anyway, they should've seriously pursued a Fred VanVleet reunion and thought about an aggressive move like flipping Barnes for Lillard. It's worth wondering how much Lillard not including the team among its desired destinations factored into a trade not formulating as well.
Utah: Jazz star Lauri Markkanen completed his compulsory military service in Finland before returning to the US for training camp. The big man played for his country in the FIBA World Cup and spent time with the country's military, opting to get some of it completed during a summer where the Jazz didn't reach the playoffs. The service typically lasts six months. Look out for Danny Ainge sneaking into the Holiday sweepstakes, but compared to other young teams the Jazz look like they have the pieces and picks to grow more naturally without expanding their salary base massively by adding and extending him. The Blazers would also likely drive a hard bargain for some for some of the Jazz' premium picks, like their multiple future ones from Minnesota.