The Portland Trail Blazers are trading guard Jrue Holiday to the Boston Celtics for Robert Williams III, Malcolm Brogdon, a 2024 first-round pick via the Golden State Warriors and a 2029 unprotected first-round pick from Boston, the team announced Sunday. Holiday was initially dealt to the Blazers earlier this week as part of the deal that sent Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks, but Portland never intended on keeping Holiday, as it's focused on building around its young guards in Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons and Shaedon Sharpe.
Boston was reportedly high on Holiday's wish list of teams he wanted to be traded to, per Wojnarowski, and the Celtics beat out offers from teams in both conferences. The Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat were other teams who had reported interest in the five-time All-Defensive guard, but Boston ultimately won out. Though Holiday has just one year left on his deal, the Celtics are reportedly interested in keeping him long-term, per Wojnarowski.
Holiday will surely make an immediate impact on the Celtics, who is essentially replacing Marcus Smart, who the team traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in the offseason. Holiday will create a tough defensive backcourt with Derrick White, who earned All-Defensive honors last season.
For the Blazers, they're continuing to rack up assets after trading Lillard to Milwaukee. Portland has now acquired Brodgon, Williams, Deandre Ayton, Toumani Camara, three first-round picks and two pick swaps for trading Lillard. That's an impressive haul after it seemed like there wasn't much of a market outside of the Miami Heat's offer for most of the offseason. And it doesn't sound like Portland is done yet, either. Wojnarowski reports that while Portland intends on keeping Williams, there's been interest in Brogdon, who the team could trade for even more assets.
While the Blazers have closed the book on the Lillard era this week, they've wasted no time acquiring quality assets for the future.
