The Celtics’ rebuild seems to have begun as they have traded their veteran players, Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, on the first two days of the offseason. Jrue Holiday was traded to the Trail Blazers for Anfernee Simons and two second-round picks.
According to Heavy’s Steve Bulpett, a source close to Holiday has revealed that he is not thrilled about joining the Trail Blazers at this point in his career. The source claims Holiday is “pissed” at the Celtics for trading him to the Blazers.
“Now, if he winds up staying there, I’m sure he’ll be the professional he’s always been and make a positive contribution. But he’s not happy with this deal. I’ll be surprised if Portland doesn’t move him on if they can, because right now he does not want to go there.”
“I’m sure if he has to go to Portland, he’ll end up going and it’ll be OK, but right now they want to be somewhere else. But with that contract, it’s not going to be that easy.”
Jrue Holiday was the defensive mastermind behind both his championships. He was the best defender on the Celtics’ championship roster last season and the second-best defender after Giannis Antetokounmpo in the 2021 championship run with the Bucks. He played a crucial role in each of those runs and seems to feel he can still contribute to a championship contender instead of helping a young team grow.
With his defensive rating slowly on the rise and offensive efficiency falling over the years, it seems that Holiday might be nearing the end of his career. This season, he averaged 11.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.9 assists.
How Jrue Holiday Can Impact The Blazers
According to Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor, following the All-Star break last season, the Blazers were a top-5 defense in the NBA. The inclusion of Jrue Holiday on Chauncey Billups‘ team would further improve their defense, while players like Shaedon Sharpe and Scoot Henderson can focus on scoring more, as Jrue Holiday can cover the holes in their defense with his veteran experience.
Just like how Holiday’s arrival in the Celtics allowed Derrick White to focus on improving his scoring efficiency. White’s average went from nearly 12 points per game to 15 points per game after Holiday’s arrival. Billups is a defensive coach and could work well with Holiday if he sets his mind on staying with the Blazers instead of seeking a re-route like the last time he was traded here.
Do you think Holiday will stay with the Blazers and try to bring a championship culture to Portland? Or will he seek a trade to a championship-contending team? Let us know what you think about this move in the comments section.
