Jrue Holiday hits back at ‘wretched, unfortunate’ Celtics trade speculation

When is the champion Boston 2024 The Celtics traded Jrue Holiday to the Portland Blazersmany assumed the veteran guard was unhappy with the move. For some veterans, moving from a title-contending team in the final stages of an NBA career isn’t ideal. However, for Holiday, a two-time champion with the Milwaukee Bucks and Celtics in 2021, he has embraced his newfound role in Portland.

Holiday set the record straight with Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and the public, per Andscape’s Mark Spears.

“Everybody was just talking about it. Nobody really asked me about the trade,” Holiday Spears said after the Oct. 8 preseason loss. “Everybody assumed I was miserable or unhappy about it. But when I got the call from (Celtics president) Brad (Stevens), I was very excited.

“Being able to see the roster, the type of players and the character they have, going to a team like that means a lot. Young or veteran team, I know a team with good character is always going to be a good situation.”

The Celtics received Anferni Simmons in exchange for Holiday, who was traded to the Blazers in 2023 before buying out his contract with the Celtics. Two years later, many assumed Jrue had followed a similar path. However, this is not the case.

“I expect to have a little bit more of a role (offensively in Portland),” Holliday said. “Handle the ball a little more. Get people going. Maybe (I’ll be) more part of the offense here.”

Holliday is looking forward to his tenure in Portland.

Blazers insider dismisses report suggesting Jrue Holiday ‘freaked out’

And Portland Blazers insider looks at Jrue Holiday’s ‘unfortunate’ report and found that not to be the case, as a Celtics reporter suggested, according to a source close to the situation. Before Holliday cleared the airwaves, a subsequent report said Jrue was eager to start a new chapter in his careerfor 1080 The Fan’s Danny Marang.

“Did some digging on the report that ‘Jrue Holiday is furious about going to Portland’ in a Heavy.com article earlier, and according to someone with direct knowledge of the situation – told me that this report is not true,” Marang reported.

Holiday will make his debut for the Blazers when they host the Timberwolves next Wednesday in the opener.