The Boston Celtics and guard Jrue Holiday agreed to a four-year, $135 million contract extension Wednesday.Agent Jason Glushon confirmed the deal to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.Wojnarowski added more details about the new contract:Holiday, 33, is making $35 million in 2023-24 and opted out of his $37.4 million salary for 2024-25 as part of the extension agreement. Boston acquired Holiday in October in a trade with the Trail Blazers after Holiday was previously shipped to Portland as part of the Damian Lillard trade.Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said the team acquired Holiday with the goal of inking him to a long-term extension.”We’ve wanted him here for a long time, and when the time comes, and we’re allowed to talk about those types of things, this is something that we hope can be a long-term relationship, obviously beyond these years of his contract,” Stevens said. “But we have a few months to go before we can get too deep into that stuff.”Holiday has seen his counting stats significantly decline in his first season with the Celtics. He’s averaging 12.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game while slotting in as the starting point guard for one of the NBA title favorites. Despite his offensive role shrinking, Holiday continues to shoot at an efficient clip from beyond the arc and is a rugged defender who fits well within the Celtics’ system.His steady veteran presence and lead ball-handling skills have been a godsend for a Celtics roster that has struggled for years to find a proper fit next to Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.Boston’s new-look roster, which also included the acquisition of Kristaps Porziņģis over the summer, is an NBA-best 62-17. The Celtics have already clinched home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.Inking Holiday to a long-term deal is a way to ensure all core members of this roster are here to stay.
