Celtics’ Jrue Vacation reportedly drawing curiosity from Kings
Celtics
Vacation has been rumored to be a commerce candidate for the Celtics this offseason as they doubtlessly look to chop payroll.
If there’s a Jrue Vacation sweepstakes, a Western Convention playoff hopeful seems to be within the combine for the Celtics guard.
The Kings have Vacation on their listing of guards they’re all for buying this offseason, The Stein Line‘s Jake Fischer reported. Nonetheless, the Celtics have obtained a greater deal on the desk for Vacation than the Kings have provided thus far, based on ESPN 1320 Sacramento’s James Ham.
It hasn’t been reported what attainable provides the Celtics have obtained for Vacation thus far. However Boston is assured it will probably “carry optimistic worth again” in any commerce and isn’t “working to this point like a group determined to shed wage,” based on Fischer.
Getting into the offseason, it was believed that the Celtics could be in cost-saving mode. They’re roughly $20 million above the second luxurious tax apron, making their payroll for subsequent season $464 million after penalties are accounted for. Their standing as a second luxurious tax apron group additionally limits the strikes they’ll make, prohibiting the Celtics from guaranteeing sorts of trades.
In consequence, Vacation has generally been speculated as a commerce candidate for the Celtics this offseason. The 35-year-old guard has a $32.4 million wage for the 2025-26 season and is owed $67.2 million over the subsequent two seasons. He additionally has a $37.2 million participant possibility for the 2027-28 season, which is the ultimate 12 months of the four-year, $134.4 million extension he signed in 2024.
When it comes to making a cope with the Kings, the Celtics can’t ask for Zach LaVine or Domantas Sabonis again in any deal for Vacation because of the second-round guidelines.
Kings guard DeMar DeRozan has been imagined to be a commerce candidate this offseason, and a one-for-one swap involving him and Vacation would work below league guidelines. DeRozan, 35, averaged 22.2 factors, 4.4 assists, and three.9 rebounds per recreation this previous season, capturing 47.7 % from the sphere. He additionally shot 32.8 % from 3-point vary, rising his 3-point makes an attempt to three.3 per recreation.
A straight-up commerce involving DeRozan and Vacation would assist Boston get to its potential purpose of getting below the second apron. DeRozan will make $7.7 million lower than Vacation in 2025-26.
If the Celtics are searching for future property in a commerce involving Vacation, the Kings have a handful of issues they may provide. Guard Malik Monk, 27, was the runner-up in Sixth Man of the Yr voting in 2023-24 and will permit the Celtics to get youthful within the backcourt. Ahead Keegan Murray, 24, and guard Keon Ellis, 25, have additionally been standouts for Sacramento, however it’s arduous to examine it buying and selling youthful gamers for the elder Vacation.
The Kings don’t have a first-round choose within the 2025 NBA Draft, however have loads of future picks. They maintain eight future first-round picks and possess 5 second-round picks.
In his second season with the Celtics, Vacation averaged 11.1 factors, 4.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.1 steals per recreation as he shot 44.3 % from the sphere and 35.3 % from deep. Vacation’s factors and assists per recreation have been the fewest he’s averaged since his rookie season.
Join Celtics updates🏀
Get breaking information and evaluation delivered to your inbox throughout basketball season.
