Celtics

Jrue Holiday explains why he decided to sign a long-term deal with Celtics

“I want to win multiple rings. I’ve heard people say that here plenty of times, so I’m ready for that.”

Jrue Holiday signed a four-year contract extension with the Celtics this week. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

April 11, 2024

Jrue Holiday officially put pen to paper on a four-year, $135 million contract extension with the Celtics on Thursday afternoon.

But it didn’t take Holiday very long to realize that Boston was a place that he wanted to call home for the long haul.

“Since I came here, the situation here, it’s only been love,” Holiday said following Thursday’s shootaround at Auerbach Center. “The city of Boston, not only them but the organization, made it super easy for [our family] to have to navigate and get through a time that was a bit stressful for us, so just an appreciation for them. We love the city, we love this organization, the players in it, and what they stand for, and we’re doing our best to get another banner.”

Holiday has an NBA title on his resume (2021, Milwaukee), but the 33-year-old point guard believes that a few more years with Boston will give him his best shot at winning another championship or two. Boston’s entire starting lineup is signed through the end of the 2024-25 season.

“Once I got here, or even once I knew I was getting traded here, this was a part of what I wanted, what I envisioned,” Holiday said. “Being in a great organization, being here for a lengthy amount of time, and being able to play alongside guys like [Jayson Tatum] and [Jaylen Brown] and really trying to get more banners.”

Even though Holiday’s scoring totals (12.5 points) have dipped from his tenure with the Bucks, the veteran’s playmaking poise, defensive impact and 3-point shooting (career-high 43.1%) has given Boston a significant lift in its backcourt.

“I’m really just being me,” Holiday said of his impact on Boston’s roster. “Being whatever the team needs. There’s going to be days where I’m scoring a lot, but there’s going to be days where I’m going to have to defend and get steals – or I guess that’s every day – but there might be days where I’m just shooting corner 3s. And I feel like whatever fit that I [have] during that game or during that time, during that moment, I’m here for that.”

His primary stats may not leap off the page, but Holiday’s impact has been felt on a 62-win Celtics team that has already locked up the top record in the NBA.

With his contract uncertainty now resolved, Holiday is focused on helping Boston win Banner 18 later this spring — and potentially a few more titles after that.

“I want to be here,” Holiday noted. “I want to win multiple rings. I’ve heard people say that here plenty of times, so I’m ready for that.”