Celtics Trade Jrue Holiday to Trail Blazers Amid Raptors Offer

BOSTON, Massachusetts — The Boston Celtics have made a significant change to their roster by trading point guard Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers. This move marks a new direction for a team that previously won the championship in 2024.

During the offseason, the Celtics faced a tough decision after receiving an aggressive trade offer from the Toronto Raptors. According to NBA insider Marc Fischer, the Raptors proposed giving up the No. 9 overall pick in this year’s draft for either Derrick White or Holiday.

However, the Celtics declined this offer, primarily due to concerns over taking on the contract of RJ Barrett. Instead, they opted for a deal with the Trail Blazers in which they received Anfernee Simons. Simons’ contract expires after next season, allowing the Celtics some financial flexibility.

The Raptors retained their pick and ultimately selected Collin-Murray Boyles during the recent draft. Fischer noted that the Celtics were never truly interested in trading for the Raptors’ draft selection, especially for players like Holiday or White.

Holiday, who averaged 11.8 points and 4.4 assists over his two seasons in Boston, played a crucial role in the Celtics’ 2024 championship run. However, his performance waned last season, prompting the Celtics to move on. Fischer indicated that the team had no intention of trading players like White or Jaylen Brown, despite the aggressive offers from teams like Toronto.

“I think the fact that they moved Jrue, and Porzingis was also expected,” Fischer said. “I think all along there was never really a plan to move Jaylen or Derrick. So I don’t think anything got close,” he added.