If there’s one play Celtics fans will remember from Jrue Holiday’s two-year tenure in Boston, it’s going to be the steal on Andrew Nembhard in Game 3 of the 2024 East Finals. The Pacers had a chance to snatch the win, but instead, Holiday’s clutch steal helped secure the victory. Then, later, Holiday helped win the 2024 NBA championship.

Or, on a funnier note, how Boston president Brad Stevens looked at Holiday at his introductory news conference was also amusing. It was clear the Celtics were thrilled to land Holiday from the Trail Blazers in the wake of the Damian Lillard.

In a somewhat strange twist, Holiday is going right back to Portland. The Celtics shipped him out to the Blazers in exchange for Anfernee Simons and a pair of future second-round picks. The trade was cap-motivated as the C’s get long-term salary relief by getting out of the rest of Holiday’s contract.

Holiday will likely be remembered fondly by Celtics fans even though he was only a part of the team for two seasons. The veteran guard was a key piece of the 2024 title squad as he elevated his game significantly throughout the playoff run. Holiday was exactly what the C’s needed during his first season, knocking down 3-pointers while living up to his reputation as one of the best perimeter defenders in the league.

Now, Holiday did see his offensive production see a dip throughout his second season. He was also slowed down by some injuries. His defense was still stellar during the playoffs, but the Celtics were upset in the second round to the Knicks.

Ultimately, considering the Celtics needing to shed salary, dealing Holiday felt natural considering his contract status and how he still clearly had trade value. Perhaps the path could’ve been different had Jayson Tatum not ruptured his Achilles tendon. But with the Celtics looking to retool this offseason, Holiday was a luxury at this point.

All in all, while it was short, it was just about the perfect tenure for Holiday. He was able to come in and affect a great Celtics squad on their way to Banner No. 18. Holiday wasn’t relied upon for much offensive production, and his defensive versatility was a consistent tool for the Celtics. When Holiday matched up against a center on some possessions, it allowed the C’s some much-needed flexibility.

Part of Holiday’s value, too, is that he’s known around the NBA as a winner. That’s what happens when a player wins a championship for two different franchises. The Blazers clearly view him favorably as they’ll hope he can mentor the young guards on their roster like Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe. The Blazers are also a team on the rise as they look to take steps towards the playoffs with Holiday part of the mix.

In the NBA, the offseason begins in a hurry.

Just three days after the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Game 7 triumph over the Indiana Pacers, the league will gather at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn for the opening night of the 2025 NBA Draft.

For the Celtics, the draft will be their first chance to add to a roster that could look substantially different when the 2025-26 season tips off in October. As president of basketball operations Brad Stevens and his staff wind down their draft prep, here’s what you need to know about Boston’s picks and how they might use them:

When is the draft?

The NBA made its draft a two-day affair for the first time last year, and it’s sticking with that format, which was popular among many front office shot-callers. Round 1 will be Wednesday, with Round 2 following on Thursday.

In a change from the 2024 setup, the entire draft will air in primetime, with both rounds set to begin at 8 p.m. ET.

When do the Celtics pick?

Boston currently owns one first-round selection (No. 28) and one early second-rounder (No. 32), with the latter originally belonging to Washington (the Celtics acquired it from Detroit in 2023). The Celtics traded their own second-round pick in this draft (No. 57) to Orlando in 2021 as part of the return for Evan Fournier.

In his end-of-season news conference last month, Stevens said the Celtics were open to trading up, trading back or sticking and picking at those spots.

“We’ll evaluate who we think will be available at 28 and 32,” Stevens said. “… We’ll have plenty of time to thoroughly evaluate who we think those people might be, and if we want to try to move up, try to move back, whatever, we’ll see how it all goes. But I think when you’re at 28 and 32, you’re not exactly able to pinpoint exactly how that night’s going to go.”

First-round draft picks sign rookie wage-scale contracts that are guaranteed for the first two years. If the Celtics take a player at No. 28, his 2025-26 salary will be between $1.9 million and $2.8 million. Second-round picks often sign non-guaranteed or two-way contracts.

What kind of talent can Boston expect to find there?

That’s hard to say. The odds of landing an impact player outside of the lottery – or, in some years, anywhere beyond the top five picks – are admittedly slim.

Of the 20 players selected in Boston’s two slots over the last 10 drafts, just three became long-term starters: Jaden McDaniels, Jordan Poole and Ivica Zubac. Those proved to be great value picks (though Zubac didn’t break through until he was traded from the Lakers to the Clippers).

Other hits in that vicinity over the past decade include Pascal Siakam (No. 27, 2016), Dejounte Murray (No. 29, 2016), Derrick White (No. 29, 2017), Josh Hart (No. 30, 2017), Jalen Brunson (No. 33, 2018), Payton Pritchard (No. 26, 2020), Desmond Bane (No. 30, 2020) and Andrew Nembhard (No. 31, 2022).

So, it is possible to find quality NBA players in the late first and early second rounds. But the vast majority of those picks turn out to be middling backups at best. Set your expectations accordingly.

What is the Celtics’ NBA draft track record?

Overall, pretty strong. Every year from 2014 to 2020, they drafted at least one player who went on to see prominent minutes on Boston teams that reached the Eastern Conference finals or beyond. Most of those players are either still with the Celtics (Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Pritchard) or were eventually used as trade chips to acquire current starters (Marcus Smart in the Kristaps Porzingis deal; Robert Williams III as part of the package for Jrue Holiday).

The Celtics didn’t make a first-round pick in 2021, ’22 and ’23, and their second-rounders in those drafts (JD Davison, Jordan Walsh) haven’t carved out rotation roles. The jury’s still out on last year’s first-round choice, Baylor Scheierman, but the energetic wing showed potential in his handful of late-season opportunities and could see increased minutes in Year 2, depending on how Boston structures its roster this offseason.

Stevens, who ascended to his current role in 2021, strayed from his previous draft playbook last summer, taking two players in Scheierman and second-round pick Anton Watson (who was later cut) who turned 24 before their rookie season began. His prior picks all were teenage projects with far less collegiate experience.

What do the Celtics need?

That also depends on said roster plans. The Celtics are expected to trade at least one member of their championship-winning core in an effort to shed salary and avoid the most prohibitive luxury tax penalties, but it remains unclear which player(s) they’ll attempt to move.

If it’s Holiday, then targeting a guard prospect would make a lot of sense, as White and Pritchard are Boston’s only other proven backcourt options. The Celtics could use additional wing depth regardless with Tatum set to miss at least a significant chunk of the upcoming season following Achilles surgery, and that need would be heightened if they also ship out Sam Hauser (or, in what would be a much more transformative move, Brown). The makeup of Boston’s frontcourt is a major question mark, too, with Al Horford and Luke Kornet both set to hit free agency and Porzingis another logical trade candidate.

But, again, the Celtics can’t bank on finding a solution to any of those potential roster holes this late in the draft. It will be interesting to see whether Stevens aims for a more polished and experienced prospect who could play right away or prioritizes long-term upside.

Which players could they target?

Prospects of note who could be available in the Celtics’ range include Florida point guard Walter Clayton Jr., the undersized ace shot-maker who starred during the Gators’ run to the national championship, and Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner, a former teammate of Scheierman’s who offers elite shot-blocking ability and was a four-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year.

Other possible targets: Stanford big man Maxime Reynaud, a 7-footer with intriguing offensive versatility; French wing Noah Penda, a 6-foot-8 20-year-old who plays like a veteran; Arkansas wing Adou Thiero, an uber-athletic ball hawk with an underdeveloped shot; and North Carolina wing Drake Powell, who impressed evaluators with his high motor and defensive versatility during his lone season in Chapel Hill.

Originally Published: June 23, 2025 at 12:42 PM EDT

Boston will remain in a heat emergency through Tuesday, with temperatures expected to reach a record-setting 100 degrees.

“With this heat emergency coming as we kick off the summer season, we ask our community members to please take care and prepare accordingly for the extreme heat,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. … “Be sure to stay hydrated, take breaks from working outside and regularly check in on neighbors, friends, and family.”

The week is expected to kick off Monday with “dangerous heat and humidity,” reaching a high in the mid-90s. Temperatures are expected to only get hotter Tuesday, according to National Weather Service forecasts.

“There’ll be a brief break for Boston (Monday), because there’s going to be a sea breeze,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Kevin Cadima. “So it won’t be quite as hot as some of the areas to the west, but by Tuesday, it looks like Boston could get close to 100 degrees.”

Boston is likely to break the previous heat record for June 24 set at 95 degrees in 2013, Cadima said. The record high for June in Boston is 100 degrees, set three times in 1925, 1952 and 2021.

The City of Boston declared a heat emergency over the weekend through Tuesday night. The city will take steps during the emergency including open splash pads and pools throughout the city, Boston Public Library locations available to escape the heat, and BCYF cooling centers open to the general public.

City and state officials urge residents to take certain precautions during heat emergencies, including never leaving children or pets in unattended cars, take breaks from being outside, staying hydrated by drinking water every 15-20 minutes and not setting any outdoor fires in Boston.

“You want to escape the heat if you can,” said Cadima. “Stay in air conditioned places and avoid strenuous activity, avoid direct sunlight when you’re doing any physical activities.”

Signs of heat exhaustion include heavy sweating, cool and clammy skin, dizziness, nausea, and muscle aches, and anyone suffering persistent symptoms should call 911 immediately, Boston official said. The heat may be dangerous and deadly for older adults, young children, people with chronic medical conditions, and individuals without access to cooling or shelter.

“If you fall into one of these higher-risk groups, or care for someone who does, it is especially important to take precautions: stay cool, stay hydrated, and seek medical attention if you begin experiencing signs of heat-related illness,” said Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency Director Dawn Brantley.

More information on heat emergency preparedness can be found at boston.gov/heat. Residents can also call 311 with any questions about available City services during the emergency.

“The heat starts to slowly ease on Wednesday,” said Cadima. “It looks like generally in Boston, probably like the mid to upper 80s Wednesday. And then it cools off dramatically for the rest of the week into the weekend with highs in the 70s.”

Wednesday is expected to remain in mostly sunny and hot, NWS forecasts. On Thursday, the high lowers to the mid-70s, forecasts show, with mostly cloudy skies and a chance of precipitation.

Friday heading into the weekend, highs are expected to dip into the low 70s, NWS forecasts show.

“There’s really daily chances of of showers from Wednesday right into the weekend,” said Cadima. “It won’t be raining all the time, but it’s just an unsettled period where each day there’ll likely be some pop up showers and maybe a few thunderstorms at times as well.”