New Boston Celtic Jrue Holiday said he would have liked to have a warning before being traded away by the Milwaukee Bucks, where he spent three seasons. He made his comment ahead of the Celtics-Bucks matchup tonight.
Tonight's game marks the first time Holiday will face the Bucks since Feb. 4, 2020, when he was a member of the New Orleans Pelicans:
"A warning would've been cool. But other than that, I'm in the best place that I can be to compete against them, which is for the top team in the East and, hopefully, the top team in the league," he told reporters.
This offseason, the Bucks traded Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers in a surprising move just before the start of training camp to acquire Damian Lillard. The Blazers then sent Holiday to the Celtics in a package that included two first-round picks.
Asked if he was harboring negative sentiments towards the Bucks, Holiday responded:
"I think that they got what they wanted, so I can't be mad at that,” he said.
Holiday was a key piece in the Bucks’ championship run in 2021 when they won their second championship in franchise history.
The Celtics (11-3) and the Bucks (10-4) are No. 1 and No. 2 in the Eastern Conference, respectively.
Jrue Holiday’s wife, Lauren, reveals husband’s trade was a shocker
After news of the trade broke out, Lauren Holiday, the wife of the seasoned 14-year veteran, conveyed the emotional impact of the business decision to uproot their family from Milwaukee after establishing deep roots in the community.
She said her husband was traded while he was napping:
"On Wednesday, my husband took a nap. He woke up to news that he had been moved [to Portland]. No warning, no heads up, not even a conversation that it could be a possibility," she wrote on Instagram. "Just, it's done. Now move on because 'it's not personal, it's business.'"
Lauren said her family had become deeply rooted in Milwaukee, and relocating would be tough as it would distance them from cherished family and friends:
“I'm not sharing this to say we are entitled to anything. I'm sharing this to say we are human beings whose kids develop friendships with other kids in our community, we are people who value family and friendships and invest in the cities we play in. We don't just take from the city we play in, we give to the city we play in and we give our all."
Even though Holiday's scoring average is at its lowest since his rookie year, he continues to be a force for the Celtics. He is averaging 12.8 points, 7.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game this season.
