Jrue Holiday reportedly wants to get an extension done with the Celtics before end of the season
“I’d like to be here. I feel like I’m getting more and more comfortable, loving the guys, loving the organization and loving the city.”
Celtics guard Jrue Holiday has a player-option on his contract for next season, which he could choose to exercise if he wants.
But, his preference is to return to the Celtics for more than one season, according to MassLive’s Brian Robb. Holiday told MassLive that he hopes to reach a deal with the Celtics on an extension before the season is over.
“My last extension was during the course of the year,” Holiday said. “I think that we can do both, talk about it and as well as prepare for games and prepare for what the future is.”
Holiday, whom the Celtics acquired via trade in October, said he’s adjusting to Boston and wants to stay here for a while.
“I’d like to be here,” Holiday said. “I feel like I’m getting more and more comfortable, loving the guys, loving the organization and loving the city.”
Holiday is expected to decline his player option, which is worth $39.4 million according to Robb. Reaching deal with a lower starting salary, but more years in total could help Boston for luxury tax purposes, Robb said.
Robb estimates that keeping the Celtics’ core intact would cost more than $100 million in luxury tax penalties, with Jaylen Brown’s supermax extension set to kick in along with one likely coming for Jayson Tatum.
That said, Brown, Tatum, Kristaps Porzingis, Derrick White, and Al Horford are all under contract through next season which could make a return appealing for Holiday.
“I think everybody kind of knows we’re set and we’re set for a long period,” Holiday said. “No matter what happens, you are going to come back here with the same guys for the most part. Things happen but I think you lock into that, being able to have that comfortability and just kind of that pressure off of you about what’s next.”
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