NBA Rumors: Jrue Holiday Not Exactly Thrilled To Land With Blazers

Jrue Holiday was always likely to get traded this summer.

He was probably hoping to at least go to a team that made the playoffs.

The first domino in Boston’s roster shakeup fell late Monday night, with the Celtics dealing Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers. Dumping Holiday’s salary long had been a key way for the Celtics to get under the second apron of the luxury tax.

The Celtics got Anfernee Simons and two second-round picks back in the deal.

Holiday was a key member of the 2024 championship-winning team, but took a step back this past season as he dealt with injuries. He is entering his age-35 season and was due $72 million total through 2027-28, a steep cost for a team that will be without Jayson Tatum next season.

Certainly at this stage of his career a player like Holiday, who could be a meaningful contributor to a contender, can’t love the idea of going to Portland. They won 36 games last season and missed the playoffs.

Heavy Celtics insider Steve Bulpett reported, citing a source, that Holiday was “pissed” that he landed with Portland.

“Now, if he winds up staying there, I’m sure he’ll be the professional he’s always been and make a positive contribution,” the source told Bulpett. “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.”

Given the circumstances, the deal was a good piece of business from C’s president Brad Stevens. Despite dumping Holiday’s salary, they still managed to land a productive 3-point shooter in the deal in Simons.

But for Holiday, it could get him stuck in a place he’d rather not be next season.