Duke Blue Devils basketball star Cooper Flagg’s imminent arrival on the Dallas Mavericks’ roster could reportedly facilitate a deal swapping P.J. Washington for Jrue Holiday, potentially sending Washington to the Boston Celtics in a straight swap or elsewhere in a three-team deal.
Daniel Gafford’s name also comes up in Washington-Holiday trade talks.
Boston’s purpose for a deal would be, as NBC Sports Boston’s Darren Hartwell calls it, a “mini reset.”
“The Mavs already have two big men ahead of Gafford in Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively II, while Dallas' expected addition of projected No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg makes Washington more expendable. Holiday would give the Mavs a ball-stopping guard who also can run the offense while Kyrie Irving recovers from a torn ACL he suffered in March,” Hartwell wrote.
“Losing Holiday undoubtedly would sting for the Celtics. But with Jayson Tatum expected to miss most or all of the 2025-26 season due to a ruptured Achilles tendon, now is a good time for Boston to pursue a "mini reset" by cutting costs while still being positioned to compete for a title in 2026-27.”
For what it’s worth, not everyone sees Holiday as the best fit next to Flagg.
CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn believes keeping Washington and Gafford would be a better outcome for Dallas.
“My major issue with Dallas pursuing Jrue Holiday, aside from the fact that I don't think the team picking No. 1 should invest in more old guys, is that I think I'd just rather have their matching salary,” Quinn wrote.
“Gafford, PJ, Naji, these guys are just really good and a decade younger.”
Boston needs a Holiday trade way more than Dallas does. We’ll see if Nico Harrison can resist making the splashy move.
At least this one makes more sense on paper than trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and one future draft pick.