The NBA offseason got even juicier on Monday night when the Boston Celtics agreed to deal guard Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Anfernee Simons and two second-round picks, per ESPN insider Shams Charania.
That the Celtics would be making some roster moves in the coming months was expected considering the tight spot they were in salary-wise, though the NBA community still seemed somewhat shocked, if nevertheless approving, of the deal, which will save Boston $40 million in luxury tax payments next year, per ESPN's Bobby Marks.
Portland makes sense as a destination for Holiday, considering the team dealt him to the Celtics in 2023 after receiving him in the Damian Lillard trade with the Milwaukee Bucks. But per NBA reporter Jake Fischer, at least two other Western Conference teams were interested in Holiday, as well: the Sacramento Kings and the Dallas Mavericks, among "others."
Fischer also noted that Portland is not currently planning to flip the guard onto another team; rather, they're hoping he helps the Blazers better compete in the West.
There was interest in Jrue Holiday from Sacramento, Dallas and others. The plan, for now, is definitely for Portland to keep the veteran point guard, sources say, as the Blazers look to compete in the Western Conference. I've seen some wondering whether or not POR would flip him. https://t.co/uKR3pp01Ww
— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) June 24, 2025
The 35-year-old Holiday is a two-time NBA champion, most recently with the 2024 Celtics, so he definitely has the championship experience and perspective that could help the Blazers contend.
Last season, he recorded 11.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game while shooting 44.3% from the floor.
According to Charania, this is also just the first move of what will be an "extremely active" offseason for the Celtics, who will notably be without star Jayson Tatum, likely for the entire season. So buckle up, basketball fans; sounds like it's about to be a wild ride.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Two Other Western Conference Teams Had Jrue Holiday Interest Ahead of Celtics-Blazers Trade.
