Holiday 35-year-old cliff-like decline, Celtics may be forced to dismantle the team

In 2024, the Celtics completed their ultimate transformation with Holiday's joining and won the championship with 16 wins and 3 losses. His "185 Club" efficiency (50.3% shooting + 40.2% three-pointers + 95.5% free throw) became the perfect puzzle.

However, just one year later, the 35-year-old veteran's form declined sharply, averaging 9.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists per game, and a three-point shooting percentage of 31.6%, completely exposing the Celtics salary bomb - with a four-year, 134 million contract with a 4-year, 134 million contract, with an average annual salary of more than 34 million, while his competitive state continues to decline.

Holiday's performance is so bad, it is really unimaginable. You should know that he was once known as having Holiday, which is the beauty of having a championship, and this mainly comes from his defensive ability.

2023-24 season, Holiday was in the water under the Celtics system:

Regular season: 12.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 42.9% three-point shooting percentage (career high)

Playoffs: 13.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and real shooting percentage 61.7% (career best)

His off-ball running, outside shooting and defensive resilience are perfectly adapted to the double-Tanhua, and are even called the "Celtic version of Dream Chasing Green" by fans. But all of this completely collapsed in 2025.

This season, Holiday's offensive contribution has almost returned to zero:

Regional season: 11.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 35.3% three-point shooting percentage (the lowest in the past five years)

Playoff: Against the Knicks in the second round, G4 and G6 made 3 of 13 shots in total and scored only 8 points, and the offensive end was completely invisible

Although the defensive end can still limit Brunson (only 7 of 24 shots in 123 rounds), the Celtics need not only defense, but the third scoring point that can share the pressure of double-Tanhua.

With the injuries of Tatum and Brown, the Celtics will be full of unknowns next season, and what's worse is the salary problem (the total salary of the team will reach about $500 million next season). Due to his outstanding performance last year, the Celtics gave Holiday a four-year, $135 million contract extension, but now this contract has become a hot potato.

Salaries in the next three years will be 32.4 million (35 years old) in the 25-26 season, 34.8 million (36 years old) in the 26-27 season, and 37.2 million (37 years old) in the 27-28 season.

With the slim victory next season, if the Celtics want to reduce spending, the deal is imperative, and according to Jay King of The Athletic, if the Celtic decides to trade Holiday this summer, multiple championship teams will chase him.

From winning the championship in 2024 to eliminating the second round in 2025, the Celtics' "mini dynasty" has only lasted for one year and faced disintegration. Holiday's cliff slip, Tatum's serious injury, and Posses' loss have made the team's future full of uncertainty.