The Damian Lillard and Jrue Holiday trade was perhaps the biggest headliner before the start of the 2023-24 season. Despite rumors almost confirming Damian Lillard’s departure to the Miami Heat, fans were surprised when the Milwaukee Bucks announced that they had acquired Dame in a three-way deal with the Portland Trail Blazers and the Phoenix Suns. Jrue Holiday was initially traded to the Portland Trail Blazers. However, Portland traded him to the Celtics for Malcolm Brogdon, Robert Williams III, and a 2024 first-round pick from the Golden State Warriors.
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Jrue Holiday had established himself as one of the core players of the Milwaukee Bucks. Spending three seasons with the franchise, Holiday was a crucial piece in the Bucks’ 2021 championship campaign alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo. However, during a recent appearance on the Draymond Green Show, the 14-year veteran expressed his disappointment with the way he was traded from Milwaukee.
Holiday revealed that he was napping before he learned the news that he was traded. He had received a call from the Bucks’ general manager, Jon Horst, who was trying to reach out to break the news. However, Holiday was deep in his sleep and hence, couldn’t receive Horst’s calls. Afterwards, Holiday’s agent called him and broke the news about his trade. Following this, the veteran guard called the Bucks GM, only to get the confirmation that he was traded for Damian Lillard.
“I ended up calling him, and he [Jon Horst] ended up saying like, ‘Yeah, we traded you for Damian Lillard,'” Holiday told Draymond Green. The 2021 NBA champion had no idea about this news at all. Just days after expressing his desire to remain with the Bucks, it was disappointing for Holiday to land in a different team overnight without any prior knowledge.
Holiday added, “I think for me, it was a shock because at least let me know 24 hours in advance, not 5 minutes in advance. And maybe I’m asking for too much. It’s kind of like, I mean, we won, I won there!”
Holiday is currently playing for a title-contending Celtics team that boasts an incredible 57-14 record in the league. This is the best record of any team this season in the NBA, and a lot can be credited to the elite defensive guard’s contributions to his new team.
Jrue Holiday’s wife was very disappointed with the Bucks for trading her husband
Jrue Holiday’s wife, Lauren Holiday, was utterly disappointed with the Milwaukee Bucks for trading her husband for Damian Lillard without even a heads up. Jrue and his wife had overtly expressed their wish to remain in Milwaukee. However, this was a massive shock for the couple’s plans for their and their family’s future. In an emotional Instagram post, Lauren wrote after the trade,
“Thank you Milwaukee for making our lives infinitely better on this beautiful journey. Next stop, Boston, can’t wait to see the world we create together ❤️”
